


The Blue Hunter

by matulaak77



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, F/F, Fantasy, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-05-03 03:36:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 46
Words: 188,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14560008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matulaak77/pseuds/matulaak77
Summary: Set in a fantasy world, Chloe Price is a renowned hunter. Armed with her deadly crossbow, she travels from city to city and assassinates both men and creatures for coin. After accepting an odd contract targeting a mysterious witch, Chloe's world is turned upside down as she finds out that everything isn't always as simple as it seems to be.





	1. The Blue Hunter

Darkness enveloped the night as a tall and slender figure slowly crept up the top of the jagged mountain overlooking the small encampment. The moon was obscured by the heavy clouds in the sky and there was light rain pelting the ground. It offered the best cover the figure could hope for on a night like this. Panting slightly from the tiring climb required to reach the peak, the woman took a second to steady her breathing and capture her surroundings.

The small encampment stood roughly ninety yards away and was located in a slight dip in the ground with various tall trees surrounding it. There were multiple tents set up under their cover and in the center of the area was a tavern sized building made of brick with a small but long straw hut attached to it. The area was lit with oil lamps set on four poles a couple yards in each opposing direction from the brick building. _"She must be inside the main building, no way someone like her strays outside on a night like this."_   The frustrating thought barely registered as she filed it away with her other observations. The same three "guards" she had vetted earlier stood around lazing on their feet or sitting on barrels clearly bored and tired of the weather. While they looked and acted like guards the word mercenary fit better. _"No doubt hired for a small fee to make sure she can practice her evil in peace."_ They were each at the about the same distance from each other around the building, she could draw a perfect triangle between them in her mind.

_"Where…"_ As if someone out there heard the unspoken question in her mind, the remaining two guards walked outside of the brick structure and stood each on one side of the door clearly unimpressed with their situation. The light flooding from the open door lit up the space a little more brightly. _"Come out!"_ The woman dressed in dark clothing was starting to get impatient. The amount of time she had spent learning the area and planning her actions was far more than necessary, almost four days spent scouting her target and deciding on the best spot to set herself, but this target required special attention. She felt at her face unconsciously, feeling the ragged skin of a scar earned long ago.

She had dealt with a creature like that before and had severely underestimated the speed at which they react and the power with which they lash out. _"Bloody witches."_ One of her first few contracts when she was just starting to make a name for herself in the business of hunting had been to terminate a witch out in the northern part of the Brightwood forest. Eager to make herself known and with her coin pouch far too light she had taken the contract that had been passed over countless times by others with more experience. It took one missed shot of her trusty crossbow taken when she should have bided her time for a better opportunity. That's when everything went wrong. The witch turned in her direction in anger and unleashed a barrage of unnatural bright blue lightning bolts towards her, striking down from the clear sky. By sheer luck a lightning bolt aimed for her head struck close enough to wound but not kill when she had taken off running away. She had crashed down, head buzzing and vision foggy. A hunter nearby was startled by the noise and had found the witch almost at her side. He took the shot and did not miss. An arrow struck the witch in the throat and in a last attempt at vengeance in her final moment, the witch struck him down with a fireball that sprung from her hand. Minutes later the young hunter composed herself enough to see the scene in front of her and she made the decision to take credit for the kill. After all… the hunter was dead and nobody else knew what happened.

The townsfolk paid her with a large coin pouch and her name started travelling with stories about the hunter who managed to kill one of the most dangerous and cunning foes you could encounter. She had left that particular encounter with her now trademark blue scar that crossed her face from the top of the left eyebrow, through the bridge of her nose and ended at the top of her lip on the right side. The color was unnatural and while healed to an extent, it would glow a light blue when she was exposed to the sun, fire or a strong light source. Vowing to never underestimate another foe regardless of how strong or weak they may seem, she trained harder and saw the value of scouting and planning for any eventuality however unlikely it seemed that it would occur. The majority of her contracts had been flawless precise kills but her over planning had certainly saved her life on several occasions and extended her lifespan far longer than many people in her line of work. _"People like Rachel."_

Eyes stinging she forced her attention to the brick building to take her mind off her increasingly dark thoughts. She had a habit of doing that lately if left to her own devices, ever since that accident months past. Hours flew by while she stayed still in the same prone position. Minor and small adjustments were made to keep her blood flowing so she wouldn't stumble if worst came to worst and she had to leave quickly. As the time trickled by the lone woman started losing hope that this could be wrapped up tonight. _"Better to pack up and wait for another day with perfect cover then to rush in and get myself killed."_ Somehow that thought didn't scare her as much as it had before. She had become increasingly brash and less protective of herself since the incident with Rachel, It was just too hard for her to care anymore on her worst days.

"Stop slouching!"

The voice shook her from her momentary internal debate and she swore under her breath for her lack of attention. _"This is how you end up dead. Idiot."_ A tall slender figure wearing a dark green robe stepped outside and stood clearly annoyed with her hired mercenaries. _"Judging by the quality of men she has, she must've refused to spend enough coin for better and was left with this bunch. Dispatch her and the men will run faster than a startled deer."_ More talk ensued between the witch and her men as the hidden figure pulled out large crossbow from her back and took aim. Four years where her late father showed her how to use the weapon that had made her famous and six years of working as a hunter had made her known as one of the most proficient and deadly hunters. When equipped with a crossbow she still had the upper hand on most foes with faster weapons like bows but if the fight got close and personal she was also no slouch with a sword or daggers. There were few others in the country that could match or pass her skill with the long range weapon. Wind speed, distance and weather were just things she calculated in her mind unconsciously from unfathomable amounts of practice.

_"Eighty-five yards give or take. A hard shot for most."_ She smirked in the night as she loaded her weapon with her custom made broadhead bolts. The side of it was painted with a blue streak jagged like lightning. It was her calling card and matched her scar on her face. The figure took up her aim again and put the witch dead in her sights as she continued her verbal barrage onto the men who seemed no more interested in what she said as the hunter. She never knew why most of her contracts targeted certain people or creatures, sometimes it was obvious with a little research or it was right in your face. Sometimes it was townsfolk scared for their village, a vengeful man looking for a way to strike back at someone else, a terrible person who wanted something terrible done, the list went on. She was known across the country as a _"Neutral Hunter."_ It was a term used to describe a hunter who didn't care who posted the contract and against who their sword or bow took aim. Woman, man or creature could be as good hearted as a saint or as evil as a slaver, it didn't matter. This hunter had a particular hatred for witches though and she took every opportunity to hunt them down as possible.

She steadied her breathing and concentrated on clearing her mind, focusing all her attention on her shot. She applied pressure to the trigger. A loud SNAP cracked the silent night around her and the short whistling sound of a bolt screaming through the air just before it made contact could be heard. The two men facing the witch screamed and jolted back. The sound of the screams was loud enough to be heard crisply from her position and startled the other guards who were much closer. The witch dropped like a sack of potatoes with a blue bolt sticking out of her right eye, it had passed right through the back of her head to embed itself perfectly. The hunter didn't move, she didn't have to. She knew what would most likely happen next.

Sure enough, the guards took cover behind various objects and looked around frantically searching the night for the source of the shot. She waited a while, the guards didn't worry her. She could dispatch them in a matter of minutes if she wanted to but her contract had specified she bring back the witch's necklace as proof of completion and nothing was said of killing the guards. If they didn't actively hunt her down she would return the favor, she hated killing without a purpose. After several long moments passed the guards started standing one after another. They conferred and the hunter couldn't make out what they were saying from her vantage point, not from lack of trying though. _"Leave already!"_ The mercenaries separated and started to loot the encampment taking meticulous care to grab anything of value from the witch's modest home. After taking down the tents and loading a wagon full of what the hunter could only imagine was every single thing the mercenaries could sell later for a few coins, they tied the horses to it and took off through the woods for the long trek on the small rocky path to the closest village south. By then, the sun had gone up and the morning light flooded the sky.

Getting up and stretching took the hunter longer than she would care to admit as she started to get the blood flowing into all her extremities after spending a full night in the rain without much movement. She was soaked to the bone and felt like she may be coming down with some sickness. Making her way down the jagged mountain, the hunter took great care to not slip on the wet surface and took twice the time to get down that it had taken to get up. A little short of breath after the small trek and descent, the hunter approached the building and the fresh corpse of the young woman. The body was face first in the mud and her clothing was covered in a layer of mud and blood that had burst from her eye socket and leaked down. She bent down and turned the body over examining her bolt. _"That was a good shot"_ she mused to herself. The hunter left it there and started to pat down the witch, smiling to herself when she found a modest coin pouch in the lining of the clothing and the necklace she needed. Evidently the mercenaries didn't care to touch the body of a witch and had given it a wide berth. She took her loot and started to walk in the direction where her horse was tied roughly two hundred yards from the encampment in a small alcove in a mountain. _"Time to collect my payment."_


	2. The Silver Sword

The hunter found her mount safely tied up to the improvised stake she had placed earlier in the night inside the alcove.  _"At least you managed to stay dry pal"_ she thought as she offered it some carrots from a worn leather pouch on its side _._ It was her most prized possession, next to her crossbow of course. The mount had been offered to her as compensation for killing a nest of gremlins somewhere north of the City of Blackrock by a group of disgruntled peasants. How they had gotten a hold of a trained warhorse was a mystery to her but they clearly had no use for it. A bargain was arranged and she had taken off with the horse once her contract was completed. The muscled black horse she had named  _Shadow_ started to get excited, no doubt eager to be moving towards a destination. She saddled up the beast and put away the necklace and money pouch into a hidden pocket in her dark-gray cloak. Now in full view of the sun she could see the state of her clothing and it made her sigh loudly. Her once clean gray trousers were matted with a mixture of mud, grass and small branches. Her hooded cloak and dark blue shirt were cleaner but it would take a decent exposure to the sun for the clothing to dry enough to scrape and brush it off. Her tall brown leather boots felt like they had been dunked in a river and she guessed that her feet were in no condition to walk a far distance without getting welts.

"Alright Shadow, let's head off" muttered the hunter as she hopped on the back of the animal and gently prodded him into motion. It didn't take much convincing before the warhorse started to head towards the path that the guards had left on earlier. She would have to continue south until hitting the first village on the outskirts of the woods then ride on the westbound gravel road to pass two more small villages before reaching her destination.

* * *

Dry and somewhat irritable after her long journey to the grand city, the hunter moved Shadow towards the east gate over a small wooden bridge that allowed passage over a river encircling half the city. The current was strong on the river but the well-made bridge held her and the mount with ease. Arriving at the gate she looked towards the brick walls surrounding the city. Beorf was a giant city that was blocked off by a decent sized river on the eastern and southern side. It held a large population for its already vast size which meant it was a great place for hunters to take up a contract and rest for a night. The only city within a few days travel that could rival its population and size was Arcadia, the capital of the country. The capital was located far north of Beorf. She hated Arcadia.

A couple of lookouts on the tall wall waved her over and waited patiently for her arrival. As the hunter approached however they took on more serious expressions and stared her down apprehensively.  _"The scar"_  she thought. In full view of the sun it was glowing a faint florescent blue and identified her better than any drawing could. That was the problem with being known by most people and having a distinct facial feature. Most hunters could hide under an alias or sneak their way into cities in order to get inside where they could find and complete contracts. This was a luxury no longer afforded to her.

"What is your business within the City of Beorf?" The larger of the two lookouts shouted down to address her. He was tall and round with a wispy attempt at a beard. " _Bet he's never even seen combat"_  she thought with amusement. He was wearing a bronze cuirass and his bow was no longer on his back but in his hand, something his companion had also taken up. They both looked slightly on edge.

"I've come to collect the reward for a contract posted a few days past in the village of Grast. The mayor of the village said that the man handing out the notice told him to send the hunter to the City of Beorf and collect payment at The Werewolf's Lodge. I've come through this city many times and never caused much trouble." There was truth to that last statement, she had run away to this city from Arcadia after her father had passed. She had spent the better part of three months living through odd jobs here before taking up her chosen profession and leaving to make a name for herself. She had come back a few times since to meet up with old friends when she was in the area and take on contracts after she had established herself as a proficient hunter.

"That scar names you" he shouted. "You're the Blue Hunter. Your kind only ever cause trouble in cities. The last hunter to walk through these roads a month past murdered a lord before fleeing through the north gate killing three more guards in the process. He was caught and promptly hung for his crime."

Most cities and capitals hated hunters for that exact reason. Since they accepted virtually any profitable contract regardless of the target, many nobles and even royalty had been killed by hunters that were left to roam around in cities and capitals. She herself had done exactly that once to Lord Temandre in Arcadia. She had been approached by a group of wealthy bandits outside the capital who no doubt were working on behalf of somebody looking to climb the ranks of Arcadia's nobles. It had been a very lucrative assassination but had forced her to flee in the night to avoid retaliation by the other lords. The killing of a lord was a sure walk to the hangman's noose when caught. A rule that had been enforced many times by the High Lord Prescott himself. Thankfully nobody had ever identified her for that crime.

"I only want what is owed me, once I have collected my payment I'll leave. My stay will not stretch more than three or four nights" she stated plainly. The lookouts seem to consider her words carefully and started to whisper with each other quietly. Taking a few moments to detach her gourd from the side of her mount, she drank the contents to the last drop. She was so tired and this confrontation was doing nothing except irritating her. Her mood soured further when it was clear that she was expected to wait until the proper authorities were notified of the situation. She had on a few rare occasions been refused entry in other cities based solely on her reputation.

After what felt like hours the gate lifted and the smaller lookout who had left now stood beside another man with a trimmed beard and expensive looking clothing. She approached on their order and swung deftly off of Shadow when she arrived to the entrance of the gate. "The reigning lord has been notified of your arrival and has allowed you entry into the City of Beorf on your word of not overstaying your welcome and not committing any crimes within these walls." He spoke with a slight slur to his words and took a thick logbook from his satchel. "Full name, Age, occupation, reason for visit and length of stay."

"Chloe Price. Twenty four. Hunter. Collection of payment. Three to four days."

The gatekeeper wrote every detail meticulously and also paused to write down other pertinent information. He quickly shut the logbook and stepped aside to allow access to the inside of the city. He offered a small nod of the head and took off towards a small hut to the right side of the gate. Chloe took the reins of her mount and started to walk forward in no particular direction. She could hear the gate closing shut behind her. The paved road ahead split into three separate directions and the noise and throng of people was overwhelming. It had been a while since she had been in a city. It didn't take long for her to start noticing the stares from the common folk walking by. It was clear that her scar was what they were looking at and she sighed as she put up the hood of her cloak. " _Hopefully I don't pass out from the heat"_ she thought ruefully.

* * *

A small walk later and Chloe had found what she was looking for. It had been a long time since she had been at the  _Silver Sword._ Grinning happily she slid off her hood and pushed open the door. She was instantly met by the musty stench of sweat and terrible music being played by a lone musician in the corner of the inn. The room looked almost exactly like how she remembered, down to the ugly paintings of weird creatures on the wall and the large silver broadsword hooked over the bar to the right. The staircase leading upstairs was to her left and the fireplace used in wintertime was close to the slightly elevated stage the musician performed on straight ahead. Few patrons at the tables spread around the area actually spared her a glance and most who did looked away quickly. This inn had a reputation to bring in the worst kinds of people and most patrons knew better then to stare down someone who looked like they could fight. She supposed her two daggers at her belt and her crossbow on her back did a lot in that regard. The scar helped too.

There weren't many people in the inn, at most fifteen people spread apart and holding their own conversations in groups of twos or threes. The  _Silver Sword_ didn't make its money being a popular tavern where you could cut loose and drink till the early hours of the morning. It made its money by being the center place for rumors, underground deals and illegal trafficking that went through Beorf. Walking right up to the bar she took up a stool and stared at the back of the innkeeper's head. He had blond hair and stood taller than most. His strong posture and powerful frame showed off the muscles acquired by a long prosperous career of service in a semi-known mercenary group. He turned and a look of shock showed on his face before he recovered and smiled. "Price…" he seemed at a loss for words.

"Frank, it's good to see you" she smiled back at him. "I'm sorry for not coming by earlier but I ended up accepting a contract that took me far to the east. Almost all the way by the Lonely Plains. Then the contracts kept coming and I travelled past the border into…"

"Never mind the excuses Price, I'm just glad to see you in one peace." Frank grabbed a semi clean mug from the shelf behind him and filled it full from a barrel of ale. "On the house." He slid the mug towards her and Chloe happily took a large swig. "Now I'd love to imagine you came back just to talk with an old friend but something tells me you're here on important business. Where's your partner? The blonde one with the feather earing."

Chloe felt like someone had punched her in the gut and it must've showed on her face despite her best effort. "We… She…" she cut short as her throat felt constricted.

"Damn." Frank looked apologetic and he turned to get himself a mug of ale. He filled it to the top and held it up a hand span above the bar. "What was her name?"

"Rachel"

"To Rachel then." He clinked his mug against Chloe's and they both proceeded to down close to half.

The ambience of the darkly lit inn fit her mood well as Chloe sat in silence for a bit wallowing in her dark thoughts while Frank served a few more patrons their beverage of choice. When he came back he leaned in close. "So what happened? You're one of the best hunters this side of the ocean and she seemed competent enough with those long curved blades she always carried on her back."

"A bloody witch! I've faced countless atrocious beasts, creatures that would make a grown man flee in horror." He seemed taken aback when Chloe growled that sentence with ferocity. "And it's always a bloody witch" the last escaped her mouth closer to a whisper and with more sadness then he expected. A tear rolled down Chloe's face and she went back to drinking out of her mug. When she finished it, she slid it towards Frank and gestured for another.

Filling it up Frank handed it back and looked around slowly before getting closer and lowering his voice. "I'm sorry for that, they're cunning as hell. That's why the price for their head is always so high. But there's something important you need to know Price." He looked dead serious and that made the hunter straighten and compose herself. Wiping her eyes on her sleeve she moved back in. "I've got it on good authority that someone out here is targeting and killing hunters. I've been keeping my ears low to the ground and hearing chatter go through this place you can learn a lot."

Chloe scoffed at that. "Really that's all you got?" she replied sarcastically. "Hunters die all the time, it's our way of life. It's how we identify the best. The culling of hunters is how we thrive, the ones that can't cut it die and the ones that can survive long enough go get their name out there. If some poor saps are getting offed by their targets it's not my problem." Chloe took a drink of her mug and sat back a bit.

Frank seemed angry at the reply and he spoke a bit more harshly. "No, that's not what I meant Chloe. It's not some poor saps getting  _offed_ and I don't think it's their targets killing them." He lowered his voice and looked around again but nobody was paying them any mind, they were too busy with their own dealings. "Hayden, Logan, Raimi… hell… even  _Slither_  got hit." As he listed off the names, the hunter's eyes widened. These weren't unknown hunters, these were some the best of the best in the country. She had worked with Hayden and Logan on multiple occasions on bigger jobs and considered them allies she could rely on.

"Hayden and Logan are dead?" the tone of Chloe's voice dropped even lower if it could be possible. "And Raimi and Slither?" She didn't know the other two at all other than by professional interest but all four names listed were supposed to be as close to unbeatable as she was renowned to be. Hayden and his hunting partner Logan were the best Chloe had ever seen in close range battle. Both armed with a short sword and shield they were an unstoppable force. She had seen them rampage through a horde of kobolds as she sat on a hill picking them off at a longer range with her crossbow. As for Raimi she only knew that he preferred a sword and was by all accounts a master with any blade. Slither was a mystery, only know by her hunter name, she was a master of the shadows and killed with poisoned daggers at close range.

"Three of them I'm sure of, the other is more than likely dead. Hayden and Logan were found just outside Arcadia, there was strong evidence of a fight. A good fight mind you if the blood on their blades indicated anything, but no corpses were found other than theirs. Whoever took them out had to have a team of the best swordsmen available. There were tons of footsteps in the dirt. They must've been surrounded. All the cuts were perfectly placed to slow them down and weaken them over a long fight. Slices to the inside of the thighs, wrist and ankles. They must kept the battle going long enough to bleed them." Frank took a long pull of his mug and set it back down. "Raimi was found outside to the west of Arcadia looking like a pincushion. Whoever took him out knew damn well not to get close. At least three archers with multiple arrows. As for Slither, rumor says she was the one who killed the lord in Beorf on a contract a month past. As she started to leave many people reported seeing a group of attackers come down on her from the streets. Not guards mind you, they were probably asleep the whole time Slither was in the main castle. A reliable guy I know was watching from the shadows and he says she got sliced up bad and barely managed to escape. She dropped something that obscured the whole street like ink in water and when the fog passed she was gone and the attackers retreated after a brief scuffle with three guards. I know the guy who put the hit on the lord and he bragged about the fact that he didn't have to pay the hunter's fee. She never collected from him. Chances are she's dead somewhere and nobody's found her corpse yet. These all sound like ambushes. This is very serious." He added with a glare.

"The lookout told me the hunter who killed the lord was hung for his crimes." Chloe was getting paranoid looking around to make sure nobody was even glancing their way.

"That's bullshit they've been spreading to make the population of the city feel better." Another look around and a last drink from his mug followed. "Get what I'm saying now Blue? If the top hunters are being killed you're not far behind. Hell maybe the only reason you haven't been taken out is because you were so far east the last four months. I've known you since you worked for me in this shitpit. I don't want anything to happen to you. Get out. Leave the country. Go back east and cross the border. Something. Anything. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see you again but you should just finish your business here and go as soon as possible."

* * *

Chloe sat on the rickety bed in a room upstairs of the inn and processed all the information she had just gotten from Frank. She knew he was looking out for her, he had been the closest thing to family for her since she had left her mom back in Arcadia six years ago. She laid down looking up at the brown stained ceiling. Someone was ambushing and murdering the top hunters in the country and all signs pointed to the area around Beorf and Arcadia. She knew the other hunters were very cautious and traveled under aliases unless they were in contract talks. Hell, Slither must be even more paranoid then normal with her name being shrouded in secrecy even from fellow hunters. And here Chloe lay with a blue glowing scar on her face that easily identified her after having voluntarily given her name to the authorities in Beorf. She was in the worst position possible. " _Shit."_


	3. A New Contract

Waking from her deep slumber, Chloe quickly reached for her throbbing head and moaned at the piercing sensation going through her temple. She regretted having gone back downstairs to lighten her coin pouch on some strong booze but once alone with her thoughts it had become an almost unbearable chore to fall asleep. Her mind always wandered at night back to the incident a few months past that had taken her partner from her. Most of the time it was just plain easier to drown the thoughts away. Running a hand through her short strawberry blond hair she took a few moments to gather her thoughts and freshen up with the bucket of water and the bar of soap under the nightstand. She took the remaining water to try and give her dirty clothes from the day before some semblance of decorum and cleanliness.

Satisfied with her efforts, the hunter put on her clothing and attached her hooded gray cloak around her shoulders. She took out the necklace from her hidden pocket and looked it over more closely. It was a thick gold chain which linked with a gold oval about the size of her palm. The weight was heavy as expected and she felt it would be somewhat uncomfortable to wear around a neck. The image on the oval was of a raven in flight startled by a bolt of lightning. The detail was astounding and she imagined that selling a piece like that to a fence would fetch a pretty sum. Putting it carefully back inside next to the modest purse she had taken off the witch, she took a look at her belongings. Frank had given her the key last night for a large chest located in the closet and she walked over and unlocked it. It was spacious, more than enough for her to carefully place the rest of her clothing and items before locking it back up.

When a grumble emanated from her stomach Chloe made the decision that it was past time to get some food in her system. She opened the shaky wooden door and headed left towards the staircase and towards the bar. "Hey Frank," she shouted towards the innkeeper "You serve any food in this sorry excuse for an inn?" Some of the patrons involved in discussions around the tables spared a glance and went back to talking. Frank turned and gestured for her to come closer to the bar. He waited until the distance between them was shortened enough to exchange words in private without prying ears.

"No, you know the way I run my inn. Nobody ever comes here for food, hell… most don't even come for the drink and nobody ever stays in the rooms up there. Probably too worried they'll get robbed in their sleep." He threw the last bit in casually as he took a bone out of a wicker basket on the floor behind the bar and threw it in the corner near the fireplace. A scruffy brown dog walked from he had been sitting in the shadows in a corner behind the bar and walked up to the bone. Sniffing it hesitantly he took it in his mouth and settled down on a mess of blankets next to the raised platform for the performers.

"Ponpidou!" She exclaimed. "I forgot you still had that mangy mutt." It was said in an affectionate tone. It was still the oddest name she had ever heard of for an animal. Frank had claimed it was named after a French gleeman with a thick accent from overseas who had sold him black market tobacco leaves at a discounted price. She didn't know if she believed that particular story of his.

"That mangy mutt could take you down in a matter of seconds with the right command Blue. He's the reason nobody starts anything in my inn." Frank seemed proud of that claim on behalf of the dog but the hunter knew better. The reason nobody started anything in the Silver Sword was because most patrons here would side with Frank and help kick anyone out who raised too many problems. They'd find themselves in the back alley severely beaten with their money purses cut in record time. The Silver Sword was instrumental to the most of the lowlife around Beorf and nobody wanted to be on Frank's black list. Few could recover from that. "Why don't you go and give him his food for me?" Frank slid a wooden bowl on the bar filled with something that looked like leftover pork towards her. He had on his biggest grin.

"Very funny Frank" she replied with a dry tone. "You know damn well how that mutt feels about me. I get within three paces of him and I'll be lucky to get away with all my fingers." That was true. Since she had earned her blue scar from that witch long ago it seemed that animals she had no problems with before became irrationally aggressive towards her. Cats, dogs, she had even been bitten hard on the bottom once by a swan that had swam out its puddle for seemingly only that reason. She had eaten well that day however. "Anyway, Rachel was the only one who could approach that beast of yours without complaint. He turned into ball of mush around her." She grew a small smile at that memory.

"She had a way with him nobody else ever had. I can't even rub that dog's belly and I've taken care of him the last four years." Frank's demeanor changed as he took the bowl to Ponpidou and came back to stand opposite her. "So…" he lowered his tone. "You give any thought to what I told you last night?"

"Yeah" she lowered her tone to his level. "I still have to collect payment for the contract on the witch and run into a few people but after that I'm gone. Thinking I might go and get some contracts further west. Some fellow was talking my ear off last night when we were drinking and he let slip that the City of Tynhead is running into lots of conflicts with a coven. Apparently they've been losing most men crossing the river separating them from the forest. They go into the woods and are found burnt to a crisp days later. There's a hefty price for collecting their heads and the Lord tasked with the charge of the city is calling any and all hunters over."

"Seems dangerous" Frank threw in offhandedly. "Tynhead is also at least two weeks ride from Beorf."

"You disapprove?"

"No. You can take care of yourself, just… Watch your back you know? Maybe find a partner to take with you. Covens are a nasty business, means usually at least four witches and they don't go down easy when surrounded by their peers. You're a famous hunter, you could probably take on a couple less-known hunters with you and offer them one quarter the loot total and most would accept graciously."

"No partners." That stopped the conversation dead. " _Never again"_

* * *

The Werewolf's Lodge was smaller than she remembered and was placed in a pretty wealthy part of the city. It had taken the hunter almost two hours to walk to get here from the Silver Sword. She had decided that Shadow was better off staying in Frank's horse stable for the duration of her stay, it was by far the safest place she knew. Nobody would dare steal from Frank. She had taken multiple breaks to haggle with shop owners on the way in order to get herself some water, bread, cheese and salted dried meat to satiate her hunger. She had bought far more than needed but it would serve her for a few days on the road. Chloe didn't expect that she would stay in Beorf past the night.

The sign hanging above the entrance was hand painted and showed three humanoid wolves sitting at a table eating what appeared to be a full pig. It wasn't an accurate drawing of course, most folk didn't ever see a werewolf in person and even less people that had seen one could report back on it. Chloe was one of those few people. A fellow hunter as well-known as she was had taken on a contract days before she could get to it. By the time Chloe had galloped Shadow through the small village the corpse had already been strung up in the main square for all to see.  _"One day I'll get to face one"_ she mused deep in thought. She really was hoping she could match herself against a werewolf sometime. That would be a great story to boost her notoriety.

Opening the door to the inn and walking inside was a completely different experience compared to the Silver Sword. The owner clearly took care of his inn and it showed. The wooden walls were spotless, the floor polished, the place was packed full and a white haired gleeman stood on a raised platform in the far corner performing a retelling of  _Slither versus the Draugrs_. He was playing the harp and raising his voice to match with the story, captivating the interest of all patrons inside. She had heard this story before a couple times on her journey east and had dismissed it as a fool tale. Draugrs were notoriously savage with keen senses and this story had Slither make her way through a dozen of them completely unnoticed in order to retrieve a parchment from a collapsed tomb. She had run into a few on her own travels. She personally found that pelting them with bolts was a better approach then sneaking around them.

She had to nudge the burly balding innkeeper twice to get his attention away from the gleeman. He was old,  _"maybe in his fifties"_  she estimated in her mind. With a quick look towards her scar that he held far too long for her linking, he finally smiled towards her.

"The Blue Hunter in the flesh" he exclaimed. That got a few patron's heads to turn and gawk until she stared them down menacingly. "I was told you would arrive sometime within the next few days to my establishment. A guard came by and said you were looking for the man who put up a contract in Grash, am I correct?"

"That's right." Her tone was frigid when she remembered how quickly word must've spread around about her arrival in the city.  _"I'll be lucky if there's anyone in this whole bloody city that doesn't know I'm here."_

The innkeeper looked taken aback by the cold way she had answered him and looked on nervously. He spoke quickly and dropped all pretense at a friendly chat. "The man you are looking for arrived hours earlier and took up residence in one of my rooms. He said to send you up when you arrived. I guess word spread that you fulfilled his contract."

"What room?"

"Top of the stairs, last door on the left."

Chloe took off without another glance and headed upstairs to the second floor of the inn eager to be rid of the necklace. Collecting her payment and leaving Beorf was her top priority. She didn't bother knocking on the door since it was left slightly open. In her mind that may as well be an invitation. Sitting on a stool by a small desk next to the bed was a short man she could only describe as illustrious. "The Blue Hunter!" He stood and offered a practiced bow while extending his hand for a greeting. He had dark brown hair matching his eyes, a clean shaven face and very expensive red and green clothing marked by herons made of gold at the cuffs. His boots were polished and he offered a perfectly white smile. The lack of calluses and scars made it clear he was a noble of some sort. She had dealt with plenty of those types before and most had that practiced charisma. "I am Lord Frederick." He said it as if she was supposed to recognize the name. She nodded and he continued. I have been expecting you since word of a witch killed in a forest east of here made its way to Beorf. The guards who must've escaped you talked to the villagers in a tavern and spoke of the woman they were guarding dropping dead with a crossbow bolt in the eye. I had a runner come to me with the news just before your arrival at the city. I truly was hoping to meet the infamous hunter herself when I posted the notice." He sat back down after shaking her hand and gestured to another stool across the room near the closet.

"Nobody escaped me. I let them go." His eyes widened a bit. "The contract was for the witch, it didn't mention taking out her five hired thugs." Chloe was in no mood to sit there and accept flattery from the pompous man. She had business to attend to before heading out of Beorf and daylight was rapidly escaping her. Once the night enveloped the city nobody could leave it. A curfew was in place to protect the citizens and keep possible threats out. "My payment?" she asked, short and to the point.

The man seemed taken aback by the response but quickly smoothed his face and demeanor back to what it had been. Leaning back and smiling he reached under the desk and pulled a small wooden chest out. Flourishing a key out of the inside of his trousers he made a show of lifting the lid. Once he got out of the way, Chloe could see the inside and make out two small leather bags. The man pulled the first out and the hunter could spot the noise of coins clicking together. "One hundred gold coins as posted and…" he pulled out the second bag and held it in his other hand. "I couldn't help but add an extra gift for your bravery. When I found out it was you that completed the contract I took the initiative to have these bolts commissioned for you." He handed both bags over.

She peeked in the first and found the gold coins she expected. She didn't need to count it, most nobles were honest in their payments towards hunters. Probably because it was known that cheating a hunter was a terribly foolish thing to do. Commissioning assassins then shorting them only lead to a painful death when they caught up with you. Anyways the bag weighed about what she figured it should. The second bag contained three broadhead bolts with a blue streak on its side that almost matched the ones she put on hers. "Bolts?"

"Not just any bolts my dear, the tips are slathered with the deadliest of poisons available this side of the ocean. It will render any who have been cut by the tip into near catatonic state within minutes. Given a few more and the target will stop breathing." As she took a closer look, the hunter could see the coating on the tip of the bolt. "The leather pouch is reinforced to hold these bolts without fear of accidentally piercing through." She felt at the pouch and came to the same conclusion, unless she fell off her horse onto the bag there was little worry that she would get pricked.

"It's appreciated and I accept the payment." She divided the heavy coin bag into two smaller coin purses she had brought along and placed one in her cloak, the other was attached to her belt. The three bolts and its leather container went in the bigger pouch on her back with the rest of her crossbow bolts. She reached into her cloak's hidden pocket and took out the necklace. Before she could pass it along however the man lifted his arm and interrupted her.

"Keep it. I have no use for it but to confirm the death of the witch." Shrugging, Chloe placed the necklace back into her cloak.

"Then our business is concluded." She stood to leave and he reached over and grabbed her left arm. The glare she gave him as she reached for the dagger on her right hip with her free hand made him let go almost as quickly with a look of fright.

"Ahem…" He struggled to compose himself again. "I have one more request to ask of you. Another contract you may be able to help me with. Only the best is needed and your reputation holds you at great esteem." He started to fidget with his hands unconsciously.

"Our business is done. I have places to go and I expect I won't be in Beorf come sunrise." She started to turn once more.

"Coin! Lots of it." She kept walking towards the door. "Three hundred gold coins for a witches' head! Fifty more for killing her contact in the city!" That made her stop.

"Three hundred is an absurd price for a single dead witch, even the High Lord Prescott would gawk at that. How can you afford this? Even you can't be wealthy enough throw away three hundred gold coins on a hunter's contract. What's so special about this bloody witch?" She turned around and looked at Lord Frederick who seemed to be relieved.

"The contract isn't from me. I act as a broker between hunters and my employers who don't wish to be associated with assassins. I've been asked to have you take this contract on when word of your arrival spread yesterday. This contract is very delicate and requires only the very best hunter available."

"Why is your employer willing to go so steep on the payment?"

"Like I said… the contract needs to be handled delicately. Tonight if possible. Tomorrow night at the latest."

"Less than a day's notice! Are you insane?! Witches are the most cunning creatures I've come across. A job like this requires lots of planning and scouting. Hours… days… only spent just observing the target. This is ridiculous. Why so soon?"

"There is only a short window of time where the target will stay in the city. She was confirmed to have arrived two days past and reports say she will be gone come two more days. This witch has a way of disappearing on my employer and has evaded countless hunters I've sent after her. If she leaves the city, there will be no way of finding her again until she chooses to resurface. Take on the contract and you will be rewarded handsomely. I can guarantee up to half the payment upfront on behalf of my contact."

This was serious coin. What Frank had told her yesterday still rang in her head but if she took on this contract she would be set for the long travel west. No need to take on additional contracts on the way and she could sleep in the finest inns. Three hundred and fifty coins was twice and bit more than she had on her currently. This would triple her wealth. Getting paid half upfront would guarantee that this was no cheat. " _Two more days, then I'm gone. Frank won't like this"_ she thought.

"I'll take the contract but I need details, lots of them. I don't have enough time for proper reconnaissance so everything you have on the target and her contact is important. Location, appearance, routine… what she ate for breakfast" she added sarcastically. "No matter how small the detail may seem to you." She didn't ask for a reason why, for that sum of coin she didn't care.  _"I'll scout her out tonight and tomorrow I'll do the deed. This will have to be handled very carefully."_


	4. Hunting The Target

The Werewolf Lodge's door swung shut behind Chloe as she took off back towards the Silver Sword. She was deep in thought repeating her conversation with Lord Frederick to sear the details in her mind. She had very little time to complete this job and the hunter needed to make sure she remembered all the little details.

* * *

"First, tell me about the witch's contact" Chloe asked.

"She's the daughter of Richard Marsh, the head of the church in our city. Her full name is Kate Beverly Marsh, she's twenty three, has hazel eyes, dirty blond hair usually wrapped in a bun. Her clothing habits vary but she is almost always wearing white with a golden cross necklace around her neck. She spends all her time split between the church and the clinic attached to it." Lord Frederick listed off what was written down in a small leather-bound book he had pulled out of his trouser pocket.

"The head of church's daughter is associated with a witch? That seems very odd. All the religious folk I've run into have sworn to me that anyone practicing witchcraft is doomed to spend eternity in hell. Most agree that they should be found, tried and hung as hell spawn."

"Not her, she has been seen multiple times over the last few months meeting with this witch but we haven't been able to confront her directly about it."

"Why not?" Chloe asked.

"Richard Marsh controls the biggest and most influential church in the country. Even Arcadia's church comes second to Beorf's church. We've tried countless times to reach out and reason with him but he has shut down every attempt. The people listen to him and doing anything without conclusive proof will only lead to a rebellion within the city."

"Assuming you're correct, why would Kate associate herself with a witch? This would only hurt the church's image."

"We don't know. The only thing we can confirm is that every time the witch was spotted in Beorf, it was in her company within the church or clinic. She is clearly helping the witch in some fashion and therefore my employer wants her gone. The contract is first and foremost against the witch but should the opportunity arise, which I have no doubt it will, take them both out."

Chloe nodded in assent and gestured for the lord to continue. "Next is the witch. She is crafty like none other and very difficult to capture. The hunters we have sent against her have either been found dead or have given up simply because of how elusive she is. This is why you must act within the next two days. There is no doubt that this witch has heard of your arrival along with the rest of Beorf and given your deadly reputation where witches are concerned, I fear she'll be on edge. Any wrong movement will spook her and cause her to flee into the wind. It is imperative that if you can line up a shot and get the drop on her, you take it."

"How can I identify her?"

"She's shorter than average. Brown hair cut before the shoulders with blue eyes. Most reports spot her wearing gray cloaks but the clothing under varies wildly in color or style. The real tell is her bracelet and oval necklace much like the one you took off the other witch. The bracelet is a magical artifact of unknown origin. What it does is still a mystery to my employer but he suspects that it is used to help her detect others in some shape or form. It's a thick golden bracelet with five large sapphires circling its outside. The necklace is harder to spot, nobody has been close enough to be able to give an accurate description."

"The location?"

"That's easy. Like I said, the church is immense but the best shot at taking them out will be by the clinic attached to it. They've been spotted entering it or talking with the sick folk outside every night. I'm sure you are more experienced than I at finding a good vantage point so I'll leave that up to you. Scouting it won't be difficult at night, there are so many shops and houses around the clinic that should give a good view of the front or back." Lord Frederick leaned in close "I cannot stress enough that should the opportunity arise…"

"I got it" stated Chloe a little irritated at his tone of voice. "Is there anyone else I should know about? Anyone at all that should be of concern to me? More allies I should know of?"

He hesitated. "I don't believe so."

This went against everything she had taught herself since the day she had received that glowing blue scar. Always scout for longer than necessary and always prepare for any eventuality, those were her rules to stay alive. This contract had her going in almost blind and she would be lying if it didn't worry her. "The coin?" it was said politely but with an edge that left no room for discussion, he had offered and she would need assurances.

"Of course" he replied.

* * *

Chloe felt at the two very heavy bags attached to her belt as she glared at anyone looking too long. She had taken off her hood and was making a show of attracting attention to her glowing scar and weapons. Carrying this many gold coins was making her paranoid and she wanted to guarantee no cut-purse would even consider her as a target. Arriving once more at the Silver Sword she looked up at the sky and judged she had about five to six hours of daylight left. She swung by the stables and checked up on Shadow before entering the inn. The hunter went upstairs and filled her chest with some of the coin and supplies she had bought earlier, before locking it again and stuffing it back in her closet. Feeling a step lighter, Chloe went downstairs to the bar where Frank was having an animated discussion with another patron. She stood back to give them time to finish up their business.

"Price!" Shaken out of her reverie, Chloe took a look at Frank alone at the bar and closed the distance to have a quiet chat. "You look like you're about to tell me something I won't like" Frank asserted. The hunter cursed under her breath for not being able to mask her feelings better.

"I took on a contract." She said it softly and received a glare from Frank who was clearly unhappy with the recent development.

"I thought we agreed it was safer if you left before the night Blue. The longer you stay here the more dangerous it becomes. For all you know there might be a hit squad exactly one days travel from Beorf hurrying to get here before you leave."

"This contract is for three hundred and fifty gold coins, half upfront." He gawked at that.

"What are you doing for that sum? Assassinating the head of church and his entire family?" He asked dumbfounded.

"Not quite" she replied. After a quick debriefing of what had transpired since she had entered The Werewolf's Lodge, the hunter settled back and looked at Frank. "What do you think of it?"

"I think…" Frank took a second to collect his thoughts. "I think that there is more to this than meets the eye. Why would someone in the church associate with a witch. Even more insane is the question of why a witch would seek her out in the first place. Then there's the fact that the lords of Beorf have slowly been losing their grasp on the population as both Richard and Kate Marsh have grown in popularity. The church is almost as powerful as the lords in command of Beorf. Richard is untouchable, nobody would dare lay a finger on him and his death would start riots. His daughter is just as revered as he is, but she's much more accessible. They say the sick folk she visits at the clinic grow healthy just by being around her and many are starting to believe she can perform miracles. Some folk on their deathbeds have up and walked away as if nothing ever happened the day after she visited them. Her death would deal a strong blow to weaken the church." Frank took a deep breath and ran a hand in his sandy blond hair. "Ramifications aside, you have to take down both a very influential political target and a witch with only two days' time to plan or scout with flimsy information offered by this lord. I think this was a bad contract to accept. Too much could go wrong."

* * *

Chloe left the Silver Sword an hour later and started walking towards her next destination. It wasn't very far and it gave her time to reflect on everything she had heard from Frank. Matters of the state and church were of no consequence to her. She would take on a contract for both side in a heartbeat and whatever fallout came of it would not weight her mind down at night. The only thing that mattered was the coin. However, there were way too many questions and not enough answers surrounding the witch and her companion. This made her feel on edge.

Turning a few more times and navigating herself towards the northern side of the city, the hunter made her way to a small shop named  _The Black Trinket._  She had been here every single time she had visited the city. If you needed something that wasn't quite on the up and up, this was the place to be. Black market items, fenced goods and useful contraptions could be found in this store. Chloe pushed open the door and took a look inside. It was bigger than the outside gave it credit for and was filled to the brim with shelves packed full of items and pieces of art hanging from walls. Most of the stuff accessible didn't interest her, what she wanted would be in the hidden area behind the counter of the shop. Spotting the store's owner busy talking with another customer, Chloe wandered around aimlessly looking at different things to pass the time. She lifted a gray cloth off of a painting to uncover it and dust particles spread in the air making her sneeze. The painting was beautiful and clearly made by someone with great attention to detail. It depicted a famous hunter of the last century battling two witches on the border of a forest filled with tall oaks. Named for his prowess and speed with which he could strike with his trusty black tipped spear,  _The Black Adder_  was painted deflecting a large fireball sent from the first witch's hand with a leather buckler and running his spear through the stomach and out the back of the second witch.

"An amazing painting wouldn't you say?" Startled, Chloe whipped around to see the smiling face of her childhood friend. "A little on the expensive side however I'd be willing to sell it to you for ten gold coins."

"As amazing as I imagine it would look hanging on the side of my horse, I think I'll have to pass. How are you doing Brooke?" The woman in front of Chloe had on fine clothing shaded in grays and red which matched the red streaks in her dark black hair. She had known Brooke back from her days in Arcadia and had been surprised when she had insisted on following Chloe over to Beorf when she left six years past. Armed with nothing but her stellar intellect and a fairly large sum of coin loaned to her by Frank, she had quickly become a force in the world of fencing and black market deals at the young age of twenty three.

"Great" she exclaimed. "Business is booming as usual. I'm even considering moving my store into a larger location near the Silver Sword. Frank seemed pretty happy when I mentioned it to him." That was expected of course, they both dealt with the same kinds of people. "How about you?"

"Been better I suppose" she answered honestly. "But I'm not here for that. I've been wondering if you had anything new for me. I'm also here to collect half my stash of bolts. Been starting to run low and I've got a feeling I'll be needing it soon." Brooke smiled and directed her with a hand towards where the real business took place. The black haired girl went to front of the store, flipped the sign and locked the door before joining Chloe again behind the counter. She moved a wooden panel behind a decorative rug hung on the wall that was used to disguise the opening. Inside was a decent sized room filled with shelves and barrels of contraband and illegally acquired items. Brooke reached behind a barrel of tobacco leaves and placed a heavy leather bag on the counter. "Perfect." Chloe took about a dozen bolts and placed them in her leather holder on her back. She had quite a few trusted contacts for the crafting of her custom broadhead bolts but Brooke was by far the most reliable of the bunch. "Thank you, can you refill it for me?" She handed over a small bag of gold coins.

"Of course, consider it done." She placed the bag of coins on the counter and started taking out a small chest. "I also set aside some items you may find a use for on the field." She opened the chest and took out a set of three thick glass spheres. "These are what I call  _blinders_ , my own invention. Throw them at hard surface and it will let out a strong flash guaranteed to blind your foe for a few seconds. Make sure you don't look at them when you throw them however, you'll blind yourself just as quickly." She took a small wooden box out of the chest and opened it revealing a small silver cylinder with glass at both ends of it. "I managed to snag this one off a crook who didn't know its value. It's a silver spyglass, I know you lost your old copper one a long time ago and they are quite difficult to find. You should be able to attach it to the top of your crossbow with a couple of leather straps. Should make it easier to spot your target from further away. And last up…" She removed a sheathed two feet long straight blade from the chest. "This was the hardest to come across and is by far one of my most prized acquisitions. An enchanted blade from the elven domain that was stolen and brought over the ocean by a band of smugglers. It cost me a hundred gold coins." When unsheathed the blade glowed very faintly of the color green. "It won't ever go dull or need sharpening." Chloe took the blade and pressed it lightly on the wooden counter. It cut with ease and was sharper than any blade she had ever seen. "The inside of the sheath was coated with a solution that made the leather as hard as a corundum gem. No worry of it slicing its way out."

"How much for it all?"

"Three gold for each blinder, ten for the spyglass and one hundred and twenty five for the blade." Chloe hated disposing of gold coin unnecessarily but a hunter was only as good as his or her equipment and she could definitely see the use in having those tools.

"Here." Chloe handed over a leather bag of coins she had kept on her for the trip to the Black Trinket. After taking out a substantial sum of them, Brooke gave the leather bag back. It felt much lighter. "How's…. uhhh." The hunter ran a hand through her hair uncomfortably and spoke up again. "How's Joyce doing?"

"She's doing as well as can be expected" Brooke replied in a soft tone. "She's heard all the stories that made its way to Arcadia you know? Every time a gleeman or traveler makes their way to her tavern she always asks to hear the latest exploits of the famous Blue Hunter. She really misses you." The last bit came out sadly. "The last time I visited my family in Arcadia she wouldn't stop questioning me about your whereabouts and asking after your health. I know you and your mother didn't leave on the best of terms but don't you think it's about time to bury the hatchet?"

"Maybe…" Chloe responded. "I do miss her. I don't know when I'll be in Arcadia next but… tell her I'll try and visit soon. I'm in a bad situation and Arcadia isn't a safe place for me right now. Maybe in a year or two when whatever is happening dies down." Brooke's curiosity was evident on her face but Chloe waved her silent. "I'll let you know some other time okay?"

"Alright. Don't be a stranger, make sure you come visit me again when it's safe to do so." She smiled and they exchanged a brief hug before the hunter took off out of the store.

* * *

The sun had set hours past and the darkness of the dead of night enveloped the rooftop Chloe was crouching above. There was still some lights of course, you could never find a city without oil lamps brightening the streets. Some shop's and houses also lit up the areas outside their windows but all in all it was dark enough for the hunter to stalk her prey. Going prone on the roof of a blacksmith's two story store, Chloe wondered when the witch would show her face. She had spent the better part of the leftover daylight scouting the area from the ground and looking inconspicuously at the roofs surrounding her. Marking a few to return to later, Chloe had waited until dark to climb up and start the search for the best angle of the front of the clinic attached to the church. The church itself was a spectacular sight to behold. The building had been built to take the breath away and she could admit that it succeeded. In contrast however, the clinic looked to be a child's dollhouse. To say it was dwarfed by the giant building was an understatement.

Finding the best location had been challenging on such short notice and Chloe still wasn't overly happy with her end decision. " _No time for more scouting, this'll have to do I suppose"_  she thought. She looked through the spyglass she had bound to the top of the crossbow, near the grip. It offered her a much closer look of the clinic without straining her eyes. She was on one the highest roofs around and roughly ninety yards away south of the entrance. It didn't take long for her wait to be over. " _There we go."_

She needed to confirm her targets first, identify the main target and secondary target. Three women left the inside of the church and started heading towards the clinic. " _Please stop for a moment, don't go in, don't go in!"_  Chloe breathed a sigh of relief as the three women came to a stop to chat under the oil lamp in front of the door of the clinic. She could see them clearly through the spyglass. The first woman she looked at was definitely Kate Marsh. Dressed in white, she was wearing her golden cross necklace and had her blonde hair in a bun atop her head. She looked pretty in a very conservative way. Next came a woman she couldn't place a name to. She was tall and sported very short blonde hair with green eyes. She was wearing what Chloe would consider to be perfect attire for a mercenary. A black stained leather breastplate surrounded her upper body, she wore loose fitting dark brown trousers, her shoulders were covered by a black hooded cloak and her boots were of a dark gray stained leather. Two twelve inch daggers rested in their respective sheathes on her belt next to her hips and she had a short bow attached to her back next to a very small quiver that was obscured by the angle. " _No way she has more than six arrows in that small quiver"_ the thought came unconsciously. The woman's belt had four small thin leather balls attached by strings to the left side. Chloe made a mental note to kill her second as she loaded a bolt into her crossbow. She wouldn't shoot tonight if she could avoid it but the contract said two nights and well… " _Who knows if I'll have another chance like this?"_

She moved her crossbow a bit to the left and saw the third shorter woman. She was young like the others, " _maybe a year younger than I,"_ she sported brown hair, cut before the shoulders with crystal blue eyes. She was smiling in faked annoyance at something the tall blonde with short hair said and Chloe could see the freckles spread lightly around her face. She wore a gray cloak with a dark blue shirt and black stained leather trousers. The uniform was completed with her dark blue boots and her thick golden bracelet surrounded by five large sapphires. The witch looked absolutely stunning. " _Get your mind back on track Blue. That's the target you're looking at."_  The hunter shook her head and regained focus again calculating unconsciously all the variables for a night like this. She shifted the crossbow and aimed at the witch and pondered the benefits of taking the shot.

The tall blonde woman grabbed at the witch's wrist and pointed at the bracelet in annoyance. The shorter woman shook her head in exasperation and lifted her hand with the bracelet that was now glowing bright blue in the night. Focusing back on the witch with her crossbow, the hunter felt something strange pass over her. " _It's like… a wave of warmth. What the bloody hell..?"_  The witch turned in her direction and with a look of surprise she locked eyes with Chloe who was still stretched prone on the roof of the blacksmith's two story store over ninety yards away.

"… _."_

She squeezed the trigger.

The bolt whistled in the air and came to an abrupt stop, shattering like it had hit an invisible stone wall just inches from the witch's outstretched hand covering her face. Within moments, chaos erupted. Throwing herself to the side while reloading her crossbow saved Chloe the chance to experience firsthand what it felt like to be burnt to a crisp as a fireball exploded on the roof where she had been moments ago. Lining up another shot, this time to a target that couldn't block her projectiles, she lined her sight up to Kate Marsh and applied pressure to the trigger. The bolt once again flew in the air but was blocked from hitting its intended target when the tall blonde woman dressed like a mercenary covered Kate with her body. Chloe loaded her weapon a third time and rolled to the side in order to avoid another ball of fire crashing into her previous location. She noticed that the broadhead bolt had embedded itself in the quiver on the tall woman's back. Reacting with incredible speed, the tall woman grabbed at one of the thin leather balls on her waist and threw it hard at the ground in front of all three women. A black cloud of ink-like fog covered the entire section of the street in front of the clinic. Using her mind's eye and tracking where she thought the tall woman would be in the black cloud she loosed another bolt. She was rewarded with a small shout of pain coming from the billowing inky smoke.

Something clicked in Chloe's mind and she suddenly paled a bit as she realized who she was facing. The dark smoke, the black clothing and the two sheathed foot long daggers appeared in her thoughts. " _Burn me! I'm a bloody fool! I'm facing Slither! I should've realized it sooner."_ She had no backup plan for this, there hadn't been enough time to scout everywhere and she looked frantically around for an escape route. " _I'm not equipped to handle a witch and one of the best hunters alive. I need to go. Now!"_

Chloe took off running and jumping along the rooftops, many folks who had heard the commotion had turned their lights on and were looking out into the night. Once they realized a hunter was prowling the rooftops, almost all of them closed and barricaded their windows shut. A barrage of lightning started to crash down on the roofs she was just clearing and the adrenaline pumped through the hunter's veins. " _Shit. Shit. Shit. I've got to get out of the witch's sights."_ Looking behind her she saw the witch on a roof almost a hundred yards back looking back at her but not following. Slither however was quickly gaining ground on her and was jumping roof to roof roughly forty yards back. Avoiding another lightning bolt by slipping accidentally off the roof she was on, Chloe broke her fall by rolling expertly once she hit the ground and she turned and ran again. " _One down, the witch is out of the fight."_  Her thoughts were frantic and her lungs were on fire.

An arrow pierced through her left leg right above the knee and made her crash to the ground hard. Rolling as gracefully as she could to the side with an arrow through her leg, Chloe grabbed her crossbow and loaded it before Slither jumped down from the roof, the bolt Chloe had shot through the smoke firmly stuck in the flesh of the other hunter's right side. Slither grabbed another arrow and nocked it, aiming it right for her head and loosing it instantly. The arrow swerved and shattered violently to her left on the pavement as a look of surprise came over Slither. " _The bolt embedded in her quiver must've shattered the shafts of her arrows."_ Chloe smiled as she brought up her crossbow and pulled the trigger. Reacting quickly, Slither brought her left hand up to shield her face and took the broadhead bolt straight through the palm of her left hand. Screaming in pain and rage, she closed the distance on Chloe and pulled out the dagger on her right hip. Chloe in turn dropped her crossbow and pulled out her two twelve inch daggers as well. She stumbled towards Slither and parried the one handed attack.

They traded blows of their daggers while dodging and parrying, but neither was able to draw blood from the other. Blocking another low slice to her abdomen with her left dagger, Chloe stabbed upwards with her right and met air as Slither ducked and landed a solid kick to her already injured leg. Letting out a scream and rolling backwards to avoid another attack, Chloe started on the defensive. " _I can't win this"_ she thought. " _Slither is a master at close range battles with daggers, that's the way she operates. Even with her just using one hand I'm completely outclassed. I can't reload my crossbow without getting nicked by her poisoned daggers. One slice of her blade and I'm guaranteed a coffin. Running away isn't an option with the arrow in my leg."_ She swerved to the left to avoid yet another swing of Slither's dagger which led to her turning right into another kick aimed straight into her stomach. Chloe fell backwards and got up swiftly to parry another speedy attack. Launching herself to the right side as hard as she could she rolled again and felt for the blinders in her back pouch. Loosing one before Slither closed the distance again, she closed her eyes and hoped that this last ditch effort would work.

A loud smash of the glass breaking on the ground between them followed by a cry of pain made Chloe reopen her eyes and move quickly towards her opponent. " _This will only last a few seconds."_ Chloe dodged a wild swing from Slither's dagger aimed in her general direction and slammed her head hard on the bridge of Slither's nose making them both of them reel back in pain.

"Aaarghh!" Chloe felt like her head had been split open and from the looks of it, Slither probably felt worse. She had to run before Slither took back control of the situation, if she tried to attack and missed she would die for sure. She threw another blinder for good measures once Slither had opened her eyes, forcing them shut yet again as she swung her dagger blindly in front of her. Turning on her heels, Chloe took off as fast as she could with her injured leg. She was hopping towards anywhere in the direction opposite Slither until she could be sure there was nobody following her. When her body could no longer support her she fell roughly in the back alley of a toy shop to catch her breath and recover.

It took several long moments for the adrenaline to wear off and for Chloe to feel her wounds. Her lungs were on fire, her left leg barely functioned, her stomach had a yellow bruise starting to form under her shirt, her head was throbbing and she had multiple scrapes and cuts from having fallen so many times. " _I'm alive though."_ She laughed at that. She had survived an impossible encounter where she should've died ten times over. The reaper had extended his hand and grasped for her throat only for her to slip free. A hard gut wrenching laugh echoed in the night air as that one thought ran through her mind.

* * *

As Chloe stumbled in the dark by The Werewolf's Lodge on her way back to Frank's inn a man approached her cautiously. She raised her now loaded crossbow and pointed it at the man. She felt weak and battered so she wouldn't hesitate to shoot dead anyone trying to rob her or attack her. If this man tried anything that looked even remotely aggressive she would down him.

"Ahhh!" The figure stepped back quickly raising his hands and stepping into the light under the inn. "I don't mean any harm, I was out taking a walk and I saw you in distress." The man was the Lord Frederick himself. He didn't move closer and Chloe didn't lower her crossbow.

"YOU! I SHOULD SENT THIS BOLT RIGHT THROUGH YOUR HEAD FOR WHAT YOU DID!" She shouted at him and he backed away a few more steps clearly afraid. She felt another surge of adrenaline as the anger boiled in her. "I ASKED YOU AND YOU LIED TO ME! YOU TOLD ME NOBODY ELSE WAS WITH THEM! I COULDN'T PLAN ACCORDINGLY!" Again the lord stepped back and started looking around clearly trying to imagine if he could outrun her bolt.

"I wasn't sure. We had heard rumors that the hunter Slither was with them but they had seemed so far-fetched." He recoiled when she closed the gap between them to only a few paces.

"Every little detail." She lowered her voice and that seemed to make the lord pale even harder. "That's what I said isn't it?  _NO MATTER HOW SMALL THE DETAIL MAY SEEM TO YOU!"_ She lowered the crossbow and stepped up to him to grab him by the scruff of his fancy shirt. "I'm not gonna kill you for this. But…" She stopped short as she felt the blade slide under her ribs. Looking down she could see a dagger buried up to the hilt in her chest. Coughing slightly and tasting some blood she stumbled back and fell on the ground. Lord Frederick pulled the dagger out slowly from its resting place under her ribs. He turned to face another figure that had come out the inn to join him. The old innkeeper from The Wolf's Lodge spared her a glance then brought his attention back to the lord. She could feel the blood seeping out of her.

"She failed to dispatch the witch and Ms. Marsh." Lord Frederick stated to the innkeeper. "She did however confirm our suspicions that Slither had somehow survived the ambush we set for her. A pity that. How far is Prescott's death squad from Beorf?"

"I received a message earlier from a courier sent ahead. They should arrive by nightfall tomorrow." The innkeeper glanced back at the hunter once again. "They'll be questions as to why a famous hunter is dead on my doorstep." It was getting harder for Chloe to focus on the voices, they were getting fainter.

"Good, prepare for them and make sure that the witch and her companions don't leave the city. Notify Lord Absot to lockdown the gates tomorrow. Nobody in or out. Sentries to be doubled on the walls. She can't escape us again. Prescott will be happy I managed to take down another of the great hunters however. I feel a bonus reward will be in order. I trust I can count on your silence" He smiled at the innkeeper.

"As long as my fee is met."

"Of course." He looked down at the bleeding hunter who was now struggling to breath. "Help me move the body into that alley over there."

Chloe could feel herself being carried then dumped somewhere darker, away from any lamps. The voices had gone, carried away when the two men went back into the inn. " _I guess the reaper got the last laugh."_ She tried to force out a laugh but nothing came out. Then everything went dark.


	5. Facing The Enemy

"You shouldn't be doing this! This is by far the worst idea you've had yet."

"Hush, I need to concentrate. Healing you both was incredibly exhausting and I'm still not completely done with her."

The voices arguing next to Chloe shook her from her slumber.  _"What..? How..?"_ Her thoughts were gibberish and she was having trouble concentrating. Head throbbing, she stayed still and tried to keep her breathing shallow and rhythmic as to not alert the others in the room to her state of wakefulness.

"That's what I'm saying! You're wasting energy that we'll desperately need to get out of here. You should've left her in the alley instead wasting what precious time we had bringing her here."

"It didn't matter anyway Victoria. They put the city on lockdown and doubled the guards, we can't leave even if we wanted to. Not yet anyway. We also certainly don't have enough firepower to force a way out either. We need her."

"We don't  _NEED_  her. This is ridiculous. Why are you so stubborn?! With your magic and my skills as a hunter there isn't anyone in this city that can stop us leaving."

" _Maybe_  you're right Vic, but with my magic and  _BOTH_  your skills as hunters it's a certainty."

A strong numbness overtook Chloe's head for a few long moments where hearing and forming coherent thoughts was beyond her. As the feeling ebbed away, Chloe felt her mind suddenly being assaulted by thoughts, feelings and memory.  _"I was left for dead. How is this possible? Where am I?"_ Head clear, she could identify a strong pain above her knee where she had been shot.  _"Why is there no pain in my stomach where I was kicked? I was also stabbed… wasn't I?"_ She felt a powerful sense of confusion and disorientation but she didn't dare open her eyes to help the feeling go away.

"She tried to bloody murder us! She shot at you and Kate. She even shot me twice with that stupid weapon of hers. Healing or not I can assure you that it certainly hurt more than pricking your thumb! She's dangerous!"

"That's exactly why we could use her help Vic!" The owner of the second voice was clearly exasperated with this discussion. "You don't just let an asset like her die. I could've left you to die a month past from the many wounds you were bearing, and now? Now you're one of my strongest allies for the upcoming fight. I've seen firsthand how useful having one of the best hunters in the country on one's side is. It can tip the scales in my favor. I would have to be out of my mind not to even try to add another of the best to my team." Chloe's mind reeled at that. " _I will not be a witch's puppet! Never."_

"Max, you know that's completely different!" Victoria's voice protested. "I never took on a contract to assassinate you. What makes you believe she won't just try to fulfill her contract the very instant she wakes? I keep an ear out for people in my line of work and I've heard all about the Blue Hunter, she rarely turns down a lucrative contract and she doesn't care who's on the receiving end of her blue-streaked bolts. It's all about the coin for her." The voice that had been near her head had suddenly shifted a bit to her right during that comment.

Chloe took the opportunity to move her legs a slight bit. She felt pain where the arrow had pierced her leg but the familiar weights she was seeking were nowhere to be felt.  _"Bloody hell. My daggers aren't in their sheaths. They must've taken them."_ She moved her shoulder blades very slightly inwards and felt a small hilt press into her back. The hunter could feel a tiny bit of hope. " _Brooke's blade! My crossbow obviously isn't there but that won't matter anyways. I couldn't reload it quickly enough to take them both down. I just need to bide my time and take one quickly by surprise. Then… Hope for the best."_ Not the greatest plan she had ever had but it seemed perfect in this situation.

"Maybe I can reason with her." The voice of the witch, apparently named Max, grew closer to Chloe's head again and she felt a numb tingling sensation in her leg. It felt like a million ants had burrowed their way under her skin. "You said she escaped you with a few wounds but nothing life threatening and yet you found her bleeding out in an alley, stabbed below the ribs." The numbness went away and Chloe could no longer feel the pain where she had taken an arrow earlier. "Whoever ambushed and tried to kill you did the same to her. Revenge is a very strong motivator. If you need any proof of that, I firmly suggest looking into why you yourself have agreed to join my cause." Chloe heard Max shift right beside her head and felt her run a few fingers across her face softly. She felt a burning hot sensation run through the scar.

"What's wrong?" Victoria asked after a few quiet moments.

"I can't heal it." Max's voice sounded faint and quizzical.

"You overworked yourself again? Kate is going to skin me alive if you pass out from exhaustion, I promised I would keep an eye on you." Victoria sounded mildly amused at the thought.

"No, I mean… I'm tired of course, but not that much that I couldn't heal something like that. It's like there's some interference when I try. This wound must've been caused by another witch's magic."

"Fine by me. After all that happened tonight, I certainly don't feel bad that she has to keep that ugly thing on her face." Venom dripped from her tone.

"It looks really good on her." Max stated absentmindedly. "I mean… it completes the image of a dangerous hunter, don't you agree?" she added quickly.

Victoria let out an amused snort.

Chloe's breath hitched slightly when the burning sensation in her scar redoubled but she let nothing show of her discomfort. The sensation left as quickly as it came.

"Max…" Victoria's voice sounded odd.

"You notice how it glows a faint blue under the lamp. It has to be strong magic of some sort to cause this kind of interference. I wonder how she managed to survive the encounter." The witch seemed lost in thought again.

"Max, use your bracelet. Now." Victoria's voice took on a more urgent tone.

"What? Why? No guards will come here looking for us and…" Chloe heard the hiss of a blade being unsheathed.

"Now, Max"

Chloe felt a warm wave of… something, gloss over her body and knew she had been made. "Vic! She's…"

Opening her eyes and rolling off the brown wooden table she had been placed on, Chloe quickly reached over her shoulder and pulled on the hilt of the enchanted blade. She felt joy at hearing the blade hiss out of its hard scabbard. Reacting quickly while the witch was still surprised, the hunter prioritized the most dangerous target and kicked the shorter woman in the belly with the hard sole of her boot and driving the breath out of her. With the witch doubled over and gasping for breath, Chloe took the opportunity to swing hard at the other hunter's blade before it collided with her midsection. Both hunters' eyes widened when Chloe's blade sliced clean through the dagger, cutting it effectively in half. Seeing the upper hand she had been given, Chloe moved quickly and thrust the blade towards her foe's shoulder. She was stopped a hair span before connecting with flesh. Frozen in place, it was as if she was held by the very air surrounding her. Now with the advantage on her side, Victoria dropped the broken dagger, made a fist and swung hard at Chloe's face. She also didn't connect her attack.

"ENOUGH!" The witch slowly got up coughing and wheezing slightly. She took a moment to compose herself and moments later both Chloe and Victoria were released from their invisible bindings. "You. Out." Max pointed at Victoria and then the wooden door that led out of the room.

"What? Are you insane?!"

"I can handle her myself but you two are bloody likely to kill each other if left in the same room for too long. I'm serious Vic." She certainly looked serious to Chloe. Victoria hesitated and opened the door to leave. "Now, I have very little patience left. Put the blade on the floor and kick it over." She addressed Chloe with a stern voice.

Chloe hesitated.  _"I'll be completely at her mercy."_ She sighed and dropped the blade from her hand. It fell point first and embedded itself an inch in the brick floor standing straight up.

The witch's mouth hung open for a second before she shut it. "Sharp blade you have there" she pointed out. The witch slowly commenced straightening out the messy room and Chloe took the time to absorb her surroundings. It was a decent sized stone brick room with a few paintings decorating the walls. An unlit fireplace stood on the opposite side of the room and four brown wooden chairs were lined up beside it. On the chairs were Chloe's possessions. Her two daggers, her crossbow, her back pouch which contained her bag of bolts and last remaining blinder were all scattered on the first two chairs. Her now blood stained cloak was folded up with bloody torn pieces of her pants leg and bottom part of her shirt where Victoria and Max had no doubt cut away to reach her wounds. The table she had rested on was also covered in a decent amount of dried blood. Looking down at herself, Chloe felt at the smooth skin on her leg and stomach where hours earlier an arrow and dagger had cut through. Dried blood flaked around the skin but no marks were apparent. She looked up to notice Max staring at her with a small smile.

"I healed you if that's what you're wondering… and Victoria as well of course. You left her in pretty bad shape herself by the time I caught up to her. I don't know what you threw that blinded her as she claimed but it did severe damage to her eyes. She could barely see in front of her. Victoria was lucky I chased after you two, I suppose that goes for you as well. I healed her and we tracked you down to an alley near an inn."

"Where am I?"

"Back at Kate's church. I wrapped you up in a stasis field and Victoria carried you on my command. She really wanted to leave you behind." Max smirked at that. "Did you hear much of what Vic and I spoke about?"

"I heard enough" Chloe replied with an edge of distrust. "You want to use me to get to someone else. Tip some battle in your favor."

"It's true I could use your help with something bigger but let's leave that request for another time. Right now I want your help to get out of the city. It's been locked down and the sentries have been increased two-fold. I suspect they are waiting for someone, I also believe it will not be in my best interest to wait to meet whoever they are currently holding up for."

"Prescott's death squad." Max's eyes widened at the blatant statement. "I heard them as the man who contracted me left me to bleed out in the alley, they'll be here by the day's end."

"So you see my predicament?" Max asked.

"I do. Don't expect my help however, you didn't save me out of some righteous sense of duty. I will not be your crossbow, to be aimed and used like a mindless weapon." The anger she felt while confronting this witch was growing and she felt her fingers twitch towards her empty sheaths, a movement that the witch picked up on.

"I don't know why you have such a distrust for my kind but I can assure you that I am not like the witches you have previously encountered. The fact that you stand breathing before me should provide ample evidence. As for helping me leave Beorf, this is beneficial to us both. By now the man hunting you down on behalf of the High Lord Prescott has probably found a distinct lack of reports on your corpse. He will know you live and he will know that the only person who could've helped you survive is I. We both need to find a way out because when the death squad arrives in Beorf you have better believe that they will not hesitate to cut you down right after my head drops off the chopping block."

"Why would Prescott want me dead? As a matter of fact why does Prescott want any of the best hunters dead? Or you for that matter."

"All valid questions that I will happily answer once out of the city. You have my word on this Blue Hunter, I will not betray you and with your cooperation, I will do everything in my power to make sure you arrive safely on the other side of the gates."

"The word of a witch" Chloe spat back with scorn.

"No. My word. The word of the person who saved your life. The word of someone who could have cut you down several times and chose not to. I have no reason to be on the receiving end of your distrust." Max replied calmly.

Chloe considered her options carefully. The witch hadn't done anything yet to merit her aggression, she had only attacked when provoked by the hunter. She didn't know if she could trust Max but it was clear the position she was in. The death squad  _was_ hunting her and she did need to leave the city which would be almost impossible by herself. However a witch and another hunter would go far in making those odds flip towards her. She'd be lying if she didn't also consider it immensely satisfying to have the chance to put a bolt through Lord Frederick and the old innkeeper's skull. "I walk at the end of this. The instant we escape the city and find safety I'll leave without protest. Can you agree to these terms?"

"After we escape the city, I will offer you answers to your questions and explain everything. If you choose to leave afterwards and not join us, I give you my word that no harm will come to you. You will be left to your own devices and we will never have to see each other again." Max smiled and looked Chloe in the eyes as she approached within a pace. "Agreed?" She held out her hand.

The hunter looked down in the witch's crystal blue eyes. She didn't know why, but she wanted to believe the woman. She took Max's hand and shook it. "Agreed."


	6. Allies

The two women separated their hands and looked satisfied with the arrangement made mere moments ago. Chloe followed Max's gaze down to her torn up shirt and pants and she quirked an eyebrow. "See something you like?" That made the witch's eyes shoot back up quickly to her face with a faint reddening of the cheeks.

"I was just thinking that all your clothing is ruined. Your cloak, shirt and pants will all need to be replaced. Victoria is about your size, I hope she won't mind you borrowing some of her clothing for the next day." Max gestured to the corner where Chloe's cloak and pieces of clothing lay stained with red.

"I can always go and get new ones when morning comes by. I think I had spotted a tailor's shop on the way to the church."

"That's out of the question" Max answered vehemently. "You are by far the most recognizable of our group. Vic and I can both go around unnoticed since nobody knows us and even Kate can wander around the area stealthily when she changes clothing, you on the other hand… That scar will identify you to anyone and if a guard catches a whiff of you they will come down on all of us."

"I'd like to see them try." Chloe answered with amusement.

"Well I for one, do not. You aren't invincible and one well-placed arrow from a guard can still kill you." Max replied dryly. "You will not argue with me on this point. It's final" she added when Chloe opened her mouth.

"So what are we going to do to get out of here? I assume we are on the cusp of morning." Max nodded in the affirmative. "So what is your plan?"

"I don't have one yet" she said truthfully. "It's better for us to try to leave during the night so we won't be easily identified but that also leave us with the problem of Prescott's exterminators. They'll arrive precisely when darkness overtakes the city according to your information."

"Will they storm the church by force if it comes down to it?" Chloe asked concerned.

"It's doubtful they would try something so blatant without any charges against us. Richard Marsh would raise quite a ruckus and there's no way they would get anywhere near the inside. Breaking their way in is also unlikely because of the political drama that would emerge, Kate and Richard are backed by too much of the population." Max bit her bottom lip and seemed lost in thought. "The only problem with staying inside the church is that Prescott's men would most likely surround it and we would have no way of escaping without causing an altercation that places us on the defensive. We should leave the church sometime midday and hole up where we can until night arrives. With my bracelet it should be fairly easy to navigate our way past any sentries already staking the building out. The guards here aren't anywhere near as well trained and we could slip by unnoticed." Max was clearly getting tired and she started to lean a bit on the table, yawning while covering her mouth.

"Your bracelet. If it wouldn't be a bother… I… Well, I was wondering how it works. You spotted me on that dark roof in the middle of the night over ninety yards away. Not to mention you also somehow managed to tell that I wasn't unconscious on the table." Chloe wanted an answer desperately but was hesitant in asking. In the witch's place, there was no doubt in her mind that she would never give up information that could be used against her. "It might be important for me to know how it works for when we're in the field" she added.

Max grew a knowing smile and lifted an eyebrow towards Chloe. "So this is purely for a strategic advantage on the battlefield then?" She approached the hunter and took her right hand in between hers. "Here, let me show you." Chloe's eyes widened in surprise, something the witch smirked at. "You know, I consider myself to be a good judge of character and I'm confident you won't betray the trust I'm placing in you."

Max took off the bracelet and placed it on Chloe's wrist. The hunter examined the magical artifact and its beauty up close. It was lighter than she imagined and glistened under the oil lamp's flame. "I'll have to infuse your body with magic" Max warned. Chloe stepped back quickly and took her hand away. The witch seemed hurt at the reaction and slowly closed the gap once again. "Trust me. I won't do anything to harm you." She offered up her hand and Chloe hesitantly placed her own on it. Max smiled towards her reassuringly and the hunter felt a strong current run in her body and going through the sapphires on the gold bracelet. The room lit up as the gems started to glow blue and Chloe could feel her scar glowing as well.

"I feel… I don't know? It's like having lightning inside my veins." Chloe looked up and to the right and gasped. She could see the shapes of Victoria and Kate through the walls on the floor above. They were a solid crimson red in color like a child filling in an outline of a drawing and she could tell faintly which one was which. Victoria was pacing back and forth while Kate sat on what she assumed was probably a chair. By the motion of Victoria's arms and hands, it was clearly a heated discussion. "I can see Victoria… Kate too."

"The bracelet is a magical artifact called  _Issoj_ in the old magic tongue." explained Max.

"Issoj? What does it mean in common tongue?"

"It roughly translates to  _unmasking_. It reveals to the holder of the bracelet the auras of people thinking of them in some way. It has roughly a hundred yard radius. It's how I managed to avoid or take down the hunters sent after me by High Lord Prescott all this time. It has flaws obviously, you could run into a hunter that's simply not thinking of you at that specific moment and therefore not being shown by the bracelet. Relying on it too heavily could be costly but it is a useful tool to spot others that could want to do me harm."

Chloe straightened and glared when she spotted a few more people's auras up to about eighty yards away sitting and looking straight ahead towards another man standing and holding something invisible to her in his hands. "I can see a gang of people over in that direction, about eighty yards give or take. Looks like a meeting is going on, it might be some guards looking for me." Max chuckled.

"If I remember correctly that's about where the Badger's Nest inn is located. I believe they had a gleeman come in for a few nights to tell tales and attract a crowd. I imagine the gleeman is probably retelling one of your famous exploits. The bracelet works well for me since I'm unknown to most but you're quite famous and during the day it wouldn't surprise me if you saw the aura of quite a few people randomly thinking of you." Max traced her fingers around the glowing gemstones. "It's actually one of a set of two. Its sister bracelet is named  _Retpar_ which translates to  _concealed_. It has five amethysts socketed instead of sapphires and glows purple. I'm not exactly sure of that one's power but my old master seemed to believe that having both on at the same time would make a witch almost impossible to defeat."

"How did you get your hands on such a powerful artifact?"

"I… bartered for it." Max's eyes grew downcast and she seemed angry at something.

"It must've cost you a lot" Chloe mused.

"More than you can imagine" the witch answered back darkly.

Max suddenly wavered and the feeling of energy in Chloe disappeared along with the auras and the blue light emitted by the bracelet. "What's wrong?" she asked quickly.

"I…" Max's knees gave way and she fell towards the floor. Reacting with speed, the hunter grabbed the witch in her arms and lowered her to the floor slowly. "I think I may have overexerted myself. It happens when I use too much magic in a very short time" she explained weakly.

" _Of course, she sent powerful magic attacks towards me on those rooftops then she healed both of us hunters. The bracelet must've been the tipping point."_ The hunter took off the bracelet and placed it on Max's wrist with great care.

"Can you walk upstairs with me? Max?" Chloe noticed that the short brunette was breathing deeply and leaning heavily on her shoulder. " _She fell asleep."_  The door behind her swung open and when she looked back she saw a horrified expression on Kate Marsh's face. "It's not what it looks like" she whispered hastily towards the blonde. "She's not dead, just tired. She's used too much magic tonight and I guess her body shut down from the stress." Kate breathed out loudly in relief and looked back at the hunter with some embarrassment.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to imply that you…" Kate seemed uncomfortable and at a loss for words.

"No offense taken. I am a hunter after all" she replied with a small smile. "It's an understandable conclusion to arrive to."

Visibly relaxing, Kate approached Chloe to look over her shoulder at Max who was sleeping deeply. "Can you help me and carry her up to her room? I'm not very strong and she looks quite comfortable, I'd hate to disturb her further."

The hunter nodded and stood up slowly carrying the small witch with her left arm under her legs and her right arm around her back. Once Chloe was standing up, the witch muttered something under her breath and buried her head into the hunter's shirt and went back to sleep. Kate gathered up all of the hunter's belongings, including the enchanted blade embedded into the floor, and started for the exit. The hunter followed Kate through the door and up to the second floor while trying her best not to wake Max. Arriving at a bedroom, Kate opened it and motioned Chloe inside towards the bed. Max instantly burrowed into the blankets the moment that she put her down. Both women left silently and closed the door to the bedroom.

"She really should stop working herself that hard." Kate was now walking further up the corridor and Chloe hurried to catch up.

"Does this happen often?"

"It mostly only happens for the first couple days when she comes to visit me. She always insists to go to the clinic and to heal as many people as she can but it usually drains her to the point of exhaustion" replied Kate. "I hear from Victoria that Max wanted your help to get out of Beorf. I assume that she got you to accept?"

"Yes. It's hard to say no to her for some reason." Kate laughed at that and turned to the left and came to a stop in front of a door. "So are you going to be coming along with us when we leave the city?"

"I couldn't. My place is here with the church and the people of Beorf. My father and I have a responsibility towards them and they look up to us to guide them. The High Lord Prescott's men will no doubt run rampant in the city when they arrive and for me to run from the city like a fugitive with a couple of hired assassins and a witch will only make the accusations they've been trying to stick to me have more weight." Kate seemed determined and a look of focus was in her eyes.

"You could be in grave danger. They can't prove anything but nothing stops them from simply deciding to harm you for your association with Max. These aren't the normal guards you're used to Kate, they are trained killers with orders from the High Lord of the capital himself. Doors and laws won't make them back down and stay away. When they find out we aren't in the city anymore, you will be their best source of information to track us down." Chloe figured she may as well try to reason with Kate but it seemed futile when the woman shook her head and held on to her golden cross necklace with her free hand. She opened the door and looked inside the bedroom. It was spacious with a decent sized bed and had a porcelain bathtub in the corner along with multiple buckets of steaming water beside it.

"That is why I have told both Max and Victoria that I will have no say in their plan. I want no details or any information that could come back to harm them. If the worst were to pass and I was taken for interrogation… not knowing anything will be for the best. Either way I don't believe that Prescott's men would try anything against me or my father. We have too much of a strong presence here in Beorf, he cannot suppress the church here like he does in the capital." Taking a seat on a small wooden stool besides the bed and laying down her bundle at her feet, Kate looked towards the bath. "I took the liberty of getting some hot water brought up to your room for you to bathe before sleeping. Victoria told me you looked as if you had been mauled by a bear and I must say that it was an accurate description." Kate smiled and looked pointedly at Chloe's ripped clothes covered in her own blood.

"Thank you. I feel like I've been put through a sausage maker's meat grinder. So much has happened in the span of the last twenty-four hours that my head is having trouble keeping up with it." Kate stood to leave but Chloe put a hand on her arm gently to stop her. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up getting associated with Max? Most religious folk I've met would rather burn her on the stake and yet you give her lodging and seem on friendly terms."

"When I was seventeen, my sister Lynn fell very ill. The healers in the city claimed there was nothing they could do with their herbs and even with all the resources available to my father it didn't look good. I came to visit her one day at the clinic and in walks this girl about the same age as me. She saw Lynn coughing up blood and instead of running away in fright of catching whatever disease it was, she decided to walk up to her and hold her hand until she fell to sleep. The next day, Lynn recovered and everyone shouted that God had given us a miracle. I tracked the girl down and struck up a friendship with her." Kate reached for her golden cross and smiled fondly at the memory "After a couple years had passed she revealed that she was a witch and had healed my sister. Max was so afraid I would denounce her to the church but how could I call her evil and shout for her head when all I had ever seen her do was help others. She was exactly how people of the church are supposed to be. I trained as a healer proficient with herbs and general medicine soon after but every time Max would come to visit she would help with the worst cases that my skills couldn't cure. When they would heal against all chances it was always deemed a miracle and Max could continue to help in secret without worry of being hunted. I only wish that I could show the world that not all witches are evil but folk are still caught up in the old ways. Maybe someday I can be the one to help change that view."

"That seems like wishful thinking. There are plenty of evil witches out there and the population only ever hears of those stories. Seems unlikely that anyone would ever revise their opinions." Kate opened the door and looked back towards the hunter with a cocked eyebrow.

"And yet you have taken one on as your ally. A hunter who has seen only the worst side of witches and who bears a scar to prove it. If you of all people can see the truth…" She left it unsaid and closed the door behind her. Chloe stripped out of her clothing and prepared the bath. She had always had a strong unwavering view of witches, they had caused her so much pain.  _The scar… Rachel…_  And yet much of what she had seen in the last day conflicted with her prior knowledge. " _Thoughts for another time."_  She hopped into the warm bath and grabbed a bar of soap to scrub herself clean. She would get a few hours of sleep when she was done. There was a lot of planning to do later and a few loose ends she needed to tie up before she could leave Beorf.


	7. Planning The Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I just noticed that the chapters 1-6 that I put up didn't have any italic in them (which I use in this story all the time to show Chloe's internal monologue) so I went back and updated it all properly. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

Chloe was shocked awake from her dreamless sleep to a repetitive knocking noise that was slowly growing in intensity. "Get up or I'll come in and drag your lazy behind…" Chloe, still dressed in her undergarments, got out of bed, walked up to the door and opened it to glare at Victoria who stood there with a satisfied expression on her face.

"What. Do. You. Want?"

"Ideally, your corpse in the alley where we should've left you" she replied in a snarky tone. "However, I guess I'll have to settle for having you not sleep through the meeting we're supposed to have."

"As a professional courtesy from hunter to hunter, I'll politely ignore that comment before I decide to shoot you in the eye with my crossbow." Chloe stared down Victoria with just as much venom. Victoria grabbed a leather bag that was slung to her back and roughly pushed it in Chloe's chest.

"Get dressed and go down to the kitchen. Don't make us wait." With that, she turned and left.

"This is going to be a long night" she sighed once Victoria was out of sight. Chloe opened the bag after closing her door and whistled appreciatively. She had never been one for using armor, it was simple logic. If you didn't get up close to your target then why need armor? She had always preferred simple light material that didn't constrict. Made of a thin interweaved fabric, she lifted up a hooded dark blue cloak and spread it in the air. It was lightweight and definitely fit her style. Next she found a dark gray long sleeved shirt and some black stained leather trousers with a dark blue belt. Putting on the clothing, she nodded to herself appreciatively. The clothing was simple to move in, silent and most importantly would allow her to blend in with the darkness. She attached her daggers to her two sides, hooked her short enchanted blade to her back and moved her coin purse along with the dead witch's golden necklace into a hidden pocket within the cloak. Finally swinging her bag of bolts over her shoulder along with her crossbow, she secured everything tightly and began to go through a series of complex movements and fight stances. Feeling comfortable within the new clothing, the hunter put on her dark boots and set off to join the others in the kitchen.

* * *

Arriving after a few wrong turns in the large building, Chloe cursed under her breath when she finally arrived at her destination.  _"Would've been so much easier if Slither had just given me the damn directions."_ She stepped past the kitchen towards a sitting room where Max, Kate and Victoria were sitting down and eating some eggs, ham and porridge. The room was lit up by several windows that reflected the midday sun. Spotting the movement from the corner of her eye, Max turned and smiled brightly at the approaching hunter. She looked much more refreshed and energized.

"It's about time" Victoria uttered when she looked to see what Max was smiling at.

"Would've been faster if somebody would've given directions to navigate this place. Just how large is this church? I must've passed a dozen rooms on the way here, you must be as rich as a lord Kate" Chloe remarked while ignoring the glare shot by the other hunter.

"This building was built with donations from the people and it serves as a shelter of sorts for those who fall on troubled times" Kate replied defensively. "We also hold large gatherings, feed and house those who cannot afford it themselves as well as employ many who had no source of income previously. This building, the church inside and the clinic attached to it is for the community, it's by no means mine or my father's."

"Well said Kate." A tall man wearing glasses moved from the kitchen towards the table with a plate of runny eggs, ham and a bowl of porridge with berries. He was clean shaven, had blonde hair and stood with his back straight. He wore a nice fitting shirt tucked into his pants and exuded an air of nobility without the pompous way lords always seemed to look down on people with. "Chloe Price. The Blue Hunter" he said the name with a blank expression and addressed himself to Kate once again. "I'm not in the habit of housing assassins in a house looked upon by god."

Kate seemed embarrassed and she looked down before meeting her father's eyes. "She's a friend and…" she hesitated before continuing. "She's in some trouble. I didn't want to send her out and risk letting her get harmed. Chloe…" She looked towards the hunter as if testing out the name. "Chloe is a good person inside. I believe she just needs a bit of guidance."

"Good people don't make a living trading the lives of others for coin. The trail of corpses she has left behind is nothing short of atrocious." He looked towards Chloe and then breathed in calmly. "There has been a message spread about by the lords in control of Beorf that you are to be turned over to the guards. They say that using deadly force may be necessary and is justified for the intent of capturing you." Chloe moved her hand slowly and stealthily towards her hip, palm facing the hilt of her right dagger. "When I questioned one of the lords it was clear they didn't want to explain why you were to be arrested. They have given me no crime or reasonable reason. I don't know why they are trying to get a hold of you so desperately but I will not help arrest somebody without proper evidence that they have broken the law in the City of Beorf."

Chloe visibly relaxed while Kate and Max both looked relieved. Victoria's face gave nothing away. "Thank you" the hunter replied with a small smile.

"My door and the door of the church will be always be open to those in need of assistance. You may rest and lay low without fear of the guards. I'll not let them in. I must be clear however that this is a house of the lord and I expect you to act accordingly. Violence is not and never will be accepted here regardless of the motive behind it." When Chloe nodded in agreement, he turned towards his daughter with a serious look. "The city was locked down due to some outside threats of mercenary bands and the lords apparently have sent out for a few guards as extra precautions. They should arrive at dusk, I'm told. It's a highly unusual reaction but if the people are kept safe then I'm all for it. I have to go and help out with the clinic tonight but I should be home before dark. Take care of your sister and don't get into too much trouble" he added with amusement. He opened up his arms and Kate got up to give him a hug. Before he left, he gestured to the hot food he had brought out and told Chloe to be careful if she went outside.

"I'm sorry about that." Kate sat back down and looked apologetically towards the hunter. Sitting herself down next to Max, Chloe took the hot food and started to eat and talk between bites.

"Don't be sorry, you have an amazing father who cares for you. Being apprehensive of allowing a hired killer into his home is no more than I would expect. Cherish him while you can." Chloe's eyes were glued to her plate as she remembered her own father. He had been much like Richard Marsh, caring for everyone and always trying to help where he could. She missed him dearly. She felt a hand on her left shoulder and turned her head to see Max staring at her sorrowfully.  _"I don't want your pity"_  the hunter thought. Chloe brushed off her hand with a shrug and spoke to nobody in particular. "Are we ready to discuss tonight's plan?"

* * *

Kate had separated from the group an hour past and had gone to see her sister in order to leave them to discuss what the three of them would do to escape Beorf. "I think it's imperative that we try to avoid Prescott's death squad, it will cause less bloodshed and we can avoid letting them know we left the city. They'll search for us for days afterwards before they realize we aren't there anymore." Max repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

"We should take them out" Chloe countered. "If we pick them off one by one then there will be less to oppose us if we are found out. On top of that, Slither and I work with similar styles so why not take advantage of it? Victoria can take out people in the shadows at close range while I guard her back with my crossbow. If anyone approaches her I can take them down from the rooftops. You can be our callout, letting us know of enemy positions using your bracelet."

"She's absolutely right." Victoria added with a nod of approval towards Chloe. "Max, if all hell breaks loose it will be much better to have less enemies on the battlefield."

"Killing innocent men when we can avoid it is pointless." The witch seemed frustrated.

"They aren't innocent. They are a  _death squad_. What do you think they'll do when they find one of us? They won't hesitate to cut us down and we shouldn't either" Chloe replied seriously.

"I don't think we stand much chance of avoiding killing tonight Max. There is virtually no chance that we will sneak past double guards on the walls and patrolling, all the while avoiding getting spotted by a team of people that are experts at tracking and executing. Chloe and I have the advantage with stealth but the moment that an alarm is raised is the moment where that advantage disappears." Victoria looked pointedly at Max who sighed and covered her face in her hands.

" _Really?!_  An hour ago you were at each other's throats but the one moment I try and pitch my ideas, you both team up against me." Max removed her hands from her face and looked towards both women at the table.

"We may not like each other but we are both in the highest tier of contract killers in the country. Personal feelings aside, we both know our craft and can be best used to take out opponents. You don't hire farmers to guard a king the same way you don't hire knights to plow the fields." Chloe spoke with determination.

"You wanted assassins to help you Max. Don't be surprised when they both want to ensure the plan's success by approaching it the same way." Victoria turned towards Chloe. "But just so we're clear Blue, I still remember you trying to kill us. I will slit your throat in a heartbeat if you so much as look like you will betray us."

"I want the same thing you do, to escape Beorf. Well that and I want a chance at revenge on that piece of horse dung that stabbed me. Nobody betrays a hunter and lives to tell the tale." Chloe's eyes had taken a venomous look to them.

"For tonight we bury the hatchet and work as allies. Nobody betrays a hunter and lives" Victoria echoed coldly.

* * *

Chloe and Max stood off to the side of an alley a few streets down from the Silver Sword with their hooded cloaks covering their faces. The hunter had reluctantly agreed that it was for the best that Chloe didn't go anywhere crowded since her scar would give her identity away and so Victoria had been tasked to enter the inn and retrieve Chloe's coin out of her chest and give Frank a letter composed by the blue-scarred hunter. In the letter Chloe explained that she needed to flee Beorf quickly and didn't know when she would be able to come back. He was tasked with caring for Shadow and in the event that Chloe did not contact him within two months, to sell the animal to a good owner. She hated parting with her warhorse but it had become abundantly clear that she would not be able to leave with the mount. She had been seen entering the City of Beorf with Shadow and the log book kept by the gatekeeper no doubt described him perfectly. The guards would be on the lookout for an animal that matched.

"Why couldn't you, oh I don't know…. make a hole in the gate with magic or change our features with an illusion? Maybe fly us out of here or something?" Chloe had been asking the witch quite a lot about her powers in the time they had spent waiting in the alley for Victoria. Max looked at the hunter in disbelief.

"As I've been explaining for the last half-hour Chloe, it just doesn't work that way. Don't you think if I could  _bloody_  fly that I would have  _bloody_  done it by now?! Maybe chased you down on those rooftops while raining fire over your head!" Chloe flinched involuntarily at the image and Max let out a breath and calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry, I'm just on edge and all these questions about my powers make me feel useless. The truth is that I just don't know how to do a lot of that stuff Chloe. Flying isn't possible but all those other things you mentioned like illusions and transmuting parts of walls. Well, I just don't know how. I've been training as a witch for four years, that's not a lot of time to learn everything my powers allow me to do. I spent two years in Beorf until I found someone that took me under her wing as an apprentice."

"Your master you told me about earlier? The one with the theory about the bracelets?"

"Yeah, her." Max answered solemnly.

"Where is she? Why isn't she helping you in whatever it is you're mixed up in?" Chloe inquired softly.

"She's… not available at the moment." Chloe noticed Max shift a bit in her hood to hide her face. "I haven't seen her in about a year. She was the nicest person I could've hope to run into, really patient and loved to teach and pass on knowledge. She taught me the basic aggressive and defensive spells every witch knows like fireballs, lightning, holding people in air, conjuring shadows… too many to name but not enough to complete my training. We never even touched into all the advanced stuff like illusions and ritual magic. I've always shown an affinity to the healing arts from a young age and she really pushed me to become an expert in that area. Witches are just like people when it comes to that, some are just better at specific things. One man may be better with the spear while another may be best in sword fighting, both are useful skills to know but most gravitate to their specialties." Chloe shrugged her shoulders and felt the familiar weight of her crossbow strapped to her back. She could understand what Max meant all too well.

"So you became a witch specialized in healing?"

"Yes. It was my natural talent and it was so easy for me. I could replicate any healing spells she showed me within a few hours if it had to with healing, no matter how hard they were. I spent two years honing my healing skills by traveling around with her and healing any and all folks I could. The first place I would go to was the clinic when I would come back and visit Kate. I spent hours there challenging myself to become as effective as possible at healing any disease or injury but it made me take a backseat on a lot of areas. That's where all the gaping holes in my knowledge are. The darks arts, necromancy, alchemy, illusions, divination, elemental, conjuror… I have way too many gaps in my knowledge concerning the other advanced arts. That was all supposed to be learned over years of studies after I had become an expert with healing but we never got to it. Things… happened. Then she was gone, I haven't found anyone to replace her and trying to learn all this stuff by myself is overwhelming. Sometimes I feel so alone." Max's face was still shielded by the hood but the hunter could spot the drops of water falling from it onto the alley's floor and the small sniffling noises the witch was trying to suppress.

Chloe felt conflicted, her feelings and mind were going at each other in a fierce battle trying to overtake the other. She had hated witches all her life and for good reasons. She had personally killed more than she could count and had regretted none, they had deserved it because they were a witch and witches were evil. Yet, all she had come to know about this specific witch had caused her to doubt everything she had done. Max simply wasn't evil.  _"How many others have I killed that were like her. Simply trying to go about their day in peace. I would've killed Kate too without hesitation and yet she's one of the nicest people I've met."_  Chloe looked at Max who was still silently crying.  _"This isn't the time to figure out all this shit in my head. I'll have to take a long look at myself later when I'm out of this city."_ Chloe put her arm around the witch's shoulder and squeezed gently to comfort her.

"You're not the only one who feels alone, you know?" Chloe started talking to distract the witch from her dark thoughts. "I didn't have many people I got along with when I was a kid, I only really had my father. One day he died trying to help someone. It was so typical of him y'know? He always cared too much. A hunter had entered Arcadia to take down a witch who had been going from village to village and abducting folks. Nobody really knew how she did it or why but everyone she took swore up and down they wanted to follow her. Men left their families and mothers left their babes just to follow this witch. Turns out she knew real well how to take over someone's head. Well, the hunter and some city guards found her near the center square and she told him to take down the guards and run himself through with his own sword. She ran away laughing as the hunter slayed the guards one by one. My father was there to get some food for the night's supper and he had seen what transpired. He ran in after the last guard fell and tried to wrestle the hunter to stop him from killing himself. During the struggle the blade slipped and plunged into my father's heart." Max looked up, her eyes red and glistening with tears.

"I'm so sorry, that's terrible. What happened to the hunter and the witch?" Chloe laughed bitterly and a few tears escaped the hunter's eyes.

"The hunter ran himself through with his own sword as soon as my father hit the floor. The witch was never seen again in Arcadia. Sometimes there's just no happy ending Max."

* * *

Darkness enveloped the sky and the two hunters who had been sitting on the roof of a butcher's shop took in their surroundings. They could see a figure covered in a dark cloak further up ahead that was crouched on a different roof and scouting out the west gate. The figure looked back and motioned for the hunters to join her. Jumping from roof to roof silently, both hunters reached the young witch in a few moments. The witch didn't say anything and pointed up ahead to the west gate of the City of Beorf. The gates lifted up in a groan of metal and a man in dark black chainmail armor walked through followed by three dozen men with swords at their hips and dressed in dark crimson armor with a black raven on the chest piece. The man at the head removed his black helmet and held it in the crook of his arm. Chloe could see that he was young for a commander, he could easily be her age. He had blue eyes, light brown hair and a scowl on his face as he walked up to the gatekeeper and a man Chloe recognized as Lord Frederick. She couldn't hear what was being said from how far they were but it was clearly an argument of some sort.  _"Probably because he didn't manage to kill me"_  she thought with a smirk. Her smirk slipped and she could hear Max gasp softly when the knight slipped his black sword free, kicked the man in the groin and in one deft movement cut off the lord's head. Wiping his blade on the lord's cloak, the knight sheathed it at his hip and yelled something to the gatekeeper while pointing at the body. The gatekeeper left and the west gate once again closed itself. The city guards all looked frozen in place on the walls. The knight placed his helmet back on his head and gestured to the men behind him. The ranks of men split up into twelve groups of three and ran off into the night leaving their commander behind. The silence was broken by Slither's breathy voice. "We're not just facing a death squad. That's the High Lord's son himself. It's the Raven Knight."


	8. The Raven Knight

Looking over towards the path between two shops that the Raven Knight had disappeared into, the three women tore their gazes away and looked at each other. "We need to take him out quickly. If the commander in charge of all his death squads is killed then it will be a large blow to the High Lord Prescott. I need him to be weakened as much as possible. Killing any allies of his that can be found is a priority and I may not have another shot at taking out the Raven Knight." Max's eyes had taken a frenzied look.

"What?" Victoria looked towards the witch with an unbelieving expression. "I've heard of the Raven Knight's exploits. He has an amazing strategic mind and he's no slouch with that sword of his. He's not in charge of Prescott's executioners because of nepotism but because he earned the title. For all we know this is part of a plan of his. He clearly made a show of entering the city and he knows we would probably scout his arrival. All his men left in small groups and yet he's by himself, offering the best target of all. He might very well want us to attack him."

"Victoria's right. Something's wrong with this. He knows two of the best hunters and a witch are trying to leave the city and if he's as smart as Vic says he is, then why would he be alone?" Chloe shook her head slightly. "This complicates everything. We can handle a simple death squad but this is way more than we bargained for. Three dozen executioners is far more than the normal amount and one of the best commanders of the High Lord... He means to leave with our corpses. Max, why does he want us dead so badly? For what reasons?"

"It doesn't matter right now" she replied in a whisper. "The point is that I may not have another chance like this. With Victoria we would've had to get close to him for a death blow but he didn't account for you being alive. He only just heard of it when he entered the city, that's a great advantage for us. You can take him out from over a hundred yards away with that crossbow and he would have no time to react before he hit the floor."

"I don't know about this Max, the instant he heard that the Blue Hunter wasn't dead was the moment that he factored her in to his plans. Let's take out his men and focus on him last." Victoria seemed on edge and was looking around their position for movement.

"Vic, if we take his men out, he'll realizes that he lost the upper hand then there's no way he stays in the city. He'll run and hide. I  _need_  to take him out first." The witch looked towards Chloe. "You'll help me right?" Chloe looked at Victoria who was frowning and shaking her head. "Please Chloe. This is important to me." Max's eyes were desperate and Chloe couldn't help but slowly nod her head in acquiescence. This situation felt so very wrong to the hunter but Max needed her help and maybe this could work. Max smiled and leaned over to give her a hug. "Thank you." Chloe returned the embrace but couldn't shake the feeling that she would come to regret this decision.

"I want to formally say before we get ambushed and killed that this is a terrible idea." Victoria looked at Chloe with a scowl. "I would've thought that hunters would stick together in votes factoring strategy but apparently puppy dog eyes from a witch is enough to cloud your better judgement." The blue-scarred hunter looked away in mild embarrassment and separated herself from the witch.

"Well the plan is decided then. We take out the Raven Knight before his men, if this works it will be a huge advantage towards us." Chloe looked back towards the path the Raven Knight had taken.

"If it doesn't we will most likely be killed when an alarm is raised." Victoria replied coldly. "If this goes wrong I swear I'll make you both hunt for food and setup camp for me every single night for a full month. If we don't all die that is" she added bitterly.

"Give me one moment." Max moved her hand under Chloe's cloak. Both hunter's eyes widened in surprise as the witch wrapped her wrist in the cloak tightly. A sudden warm wave overtook Chloe and she could spot a faint blue glow emanating from her dark cloak. "I would rather not announce our position to the guards by lighting up the rooftops. There." She pointed towards their left. "One group of three executioners, fifty yards." Her hand moved to the right a few feet "Second group of three, seventy yards." Another foot to the right. "The Raven Knight, maybe ninety yards. It doesn't look like anyone is near him" she concluded as the blue light faded from Chloe's cloak.

The group slowly made their way on a tall roof that offered a good view of the position Max had pointed out. Chloe could spot him walking in the shadows of an alley up ahead. He was facing towards the trio. "You're up Blue. Can you get him from here? We could always get a little closer." Victoria pondered in a quiet voice.

Chloe crouched next to the chimney on the roof and unslung her crossbow from her back. She looked through the silver spyglass attached to it and took a moment to feel her surroundings.  _"One hundred and five yards, slight wind from the east side, height advantage to compensate for."_ She loaded a blue streaked bolt into the crossbow and felt at the familiar weight in her arms. She imagined she could feel the tension in the crossbow ready to be let loose with the right pressure. The hunter raised her aim above the Raven Knight's head and a bit to the right. Once everything felt right, she inhaled a deep steady breath. Finger on the trigger, she exhaled half of it slowly before she pressed the trigger softly with her index finger. A  _SNAP_ in the quiet night was followed by a short whistle from the broadhead bolt screaming in the air towards its intended target. The bolt struck the Raven Lord right in the left eye slit of his black helmet and the man's head whipped back violently from the impact. The body fell backwards and lay still in the alley. "Impressive shot Bl…" Victoria's voice dissipated mid-sentence as they all stared bewildered at the body that was turning to ash before their eyes.

"That's… impossible." Max whispered.

"OVER THERE! ON THE ROOF OF THAT TALL BUILDING. GO AFTER THEM!" The distant voice came from the figure of a man dressed in black chainmail armor who had come out of the shadows in the corner of a shop next to the alley. He was pointing straight at them and the sound of many voices erupted up ahead. Chloe unconsciously loaded her crossbow as she stared in panic towards her allies.

"Bloody hell" Max cursed as her wrist suddenly glowed a bright blue and she whipped her head in multiple directions. "Oh no!" Her eyes kept shifting and focusing on spots where the voices emanated from.

"What?" Victoria had taken out her short bow and was already jumping towards the next closest roof to get a better view.

"There's way more than I saw before. How? I don't understand. There's at least thirty guards coming from various distances over that way. She raised her hand and pointed ahead. My bracelet didn't show them to me. There's no way they were all out of range." Her voice was frantic and Chloe could tell she was panicking. An arrow whistled by the witch's face and barely missed making contact. The hunter grabbed Max by the shoulders and shook her hard to get her attention.

"Shut it off!" Another arrow whizzed past her shoulder as Chloe violently shook the witch and her tone grew louder. "MAX! SHUT IT OFF! YOU'RE GIVING US AWAY!" Finally snapping out of her stupor as a third arrow cut the top of Chloe's left arm on its way by, Max's bracelet winked out and the night fell upon them again. "They're too close. They'll be on us in seconds. We have to run and hide." Chloe pushed Max towards a rooftop the opposite way of the voices and yelled after her. "Run Max! Run you bloody fool!" She turned back towards the sound of the voices and leveled her crossbow to her eye. A man in crimson armor with a sword raised turned into the street in front of the hunter and she loosed a bolt that took him straight through the throat. Blood sprayed in an arc from the punctured hole and covered the pavement ahead as he fell to his knees and grasped at the bolt lodged deeply in his trachea. She turned to her left and jumped on the roof where the other hunter was perched. Victoria let her short bow snap as her arrow struck a man in the small crack in his armor just above his knee. He fell to the ground shouting and both hunters looked towards each other. "Viend ash enfead." Chloe uttered an old hunter's saying as she placed her hand firmly on Victoria's left shoulder. The blonde hunter nodded towards her and mimicked the gesture.

"Viend ash enfead." The blonde put up her hood and threw one of her small leather balls from her belt onto the rooftop. Black ink clouds enveloped the two hunters and Chloe felt Slither run off onto another roof.  _"Tonight we hunt."_ The hunter chose to stay still in the dark mist instead of running away, further behind her she could hear the sound of lightning crackling in the sky. Loud sharp explosions were followed by screams and she smiled.  _"Stay safe Max."_

The metallic sounds of a group of men in armor reached her ears from below the roof. "I can't see shit around here! What the bloody hell did that witch do?" The man had a thick accent that sounded foreign to her ears.

"They split up. I saw one run off out of the smoke towards the west gate, the witch is towards the lightning further that way." The second voice sounded much younger.

"Lord Raven said there were three." The dark cloud had dissipated and she could see a few men running towards Slither's direction. The two men in crimson armor below her were looking around the streets.

Chloe applied pressure to her loaded crossbow and heard the wet crunching noise of her bolt tearing through the top of the older man's helmet and through his skull. As he dropped to the ground she removed her twelve inch daggers from their individual sheathes and landed softly with a roll in front of the younger swordsman. He didn't react to the first man's death as she hoped, he wasn't even fazed. As she launched an attack towards the man's right side, he moved quickly and sidestepped to the left while bringing his gauntleted fist crashing into her chest. The breath left her lungs and she fell backwards as the man took a moment to unsheathe his own sword.  _"He's experienced. I can't treat him like a normal soldier. Death squads employ the best and I have to approach it likewise."_ Chloe struck out with her right dagger with a swing high and to the right. She then veered off course sharply back to the left and down with her left dagger. The executioner was slower with his heavy armor and his sword and didn't react quickly enough. He moved his sword to parry the right attack and was caught flatfooted when she ducked down below him and stabbed the full length of her dagger into the soft material below his chest piece. She followed up the attack by jabbing his helmeted forehead with her open right palm. He stumbled backwards and the hunter quickly closed the distance to bury her last dagger into his eye slit. The body dropped to the ground in a metallic clang and she turned to see two more men come down the alley.  _"Shit!"_

They took up positions in front of her, separated by a few feet and each covering one of her side. She didn't have time to recover her daggers and she felt at the hilt of the short enchanted blade between her shoulders and next to her crossbow. Pulling it out quickly she kept her eyes moving between the two swordsmen that were keeping her at a small distance.  _"I need to close the gap without getting skewered so they can't move their swords as fluently."_ The first man to her left jabbed his sword forward and she moved swiftly a foot to the right to avoid the blow as the second man swung down from high up to the right down to her left. His sword sliced down the front of her shirt and cut a large length of her abdomen. She moved back and instantly felt the warm blood seeping onto the clothing. Pushing up to take the advantage, the two men once again worked together as one struck to the left and the other to her middle. She connected her blade with the left one's sword and sliced the length of steel clean off halfway up the hilt. The parry sent her directly into the second executioner's thrust and she once again felt the contact of steel with her flesh. She grimaced and moved forward with the tip of the sword still stuck in her right side and sliced her enchanted blade hard onto the length of metal. The sword was cut closer to the hilt and the two men pulled back and gave her a few steps distance. The hunter could feel more blood escaping her from the side.  _"I must finish this quickly before more executioners arrive."_ The battle had made quite a bit of noise and anyone closer to her position could easily hear it over the sound of explosions and lightning that were still permeating the air. Voices were shouting and growing closer. The two men glanced at each other and threw down their useless hilts before once again moving to cover both her sides. They were very good at working in tandem and she backed up while holding her enchanted blade towards the middle of them both. The man on her left man lunged at her with his body and she swiftly moved past him and further to the left to keep him in the way of the second as she sliced down the back of his knee and severed his right leg. He fell with a bloodcurdling scream as blood pooled around the stump of what had used to be his right leg. Keeping her full attention on the second man she dove to the right and closed the distance between them. Seeing that his chance of winning the fight were closer to none, he turned and tried running before she sliced his left ankle clean off. The enchanted sword cut clean through the crimson metal armor as if it were butter and the man stumbled to the ground. Wanting to finish this quickly, Chloe pulled back the man's helmet towards her and slid the length of her blade along his throat. The smell of blood filled the air and the hunter loaded her crossbow before she quickly ran past the bodies and towards the sound of lightning crashing in the distance.

As she ran stealthily closer towards the blue arcs smashing into the ground she ran into multiple mangled bodies covering the street. Parts of legs, arms and internal organs were scattered around the erupted ground and there was smoke in the air coming from the few shops that had caught fire. She quickened her pace towards the witch. Passing more scattered bodies along the way, Chloe decided to take the rooftops towards her destination. She struggled up the side of a shop, grunting hard when her side and chest burned from the wounds she had taken earlier. Once she had the altitude she could see Max up ahead on a roof of her own leaning on chimney tiredly with her right side and flinging green beams of light from her left hand. Whatever was on the connecting ends of the green beam started to fume or boil and when it connected with an armored man he screamed in agony and fell to his knees as his crimson armor turned bright orange like a piece of metal pulled from the inside of a blacksmith's forge. Chloe saw a crimson man with a bow crouched on a roof to her right aiming at the witch. She pulled at her crossbow desperately and shot without aiming as quickly as she ever had in the direction of the man looking at the witch. She thanked the stars under her breath for her luck as the broadhead bolt ripped into the man's hand and embedded itself into the piece of wood he was holding. She loaded another bolt and aimed for the side of his exposed throat, the projectile flew straight and knocked the man off the roof with its impact.

"Max!" The hunter ran on the roofs for the last few yards separating her from the witch and embraced her hard for a few seconds. Chloe hurriedly let her go and looked the witch up and down for any serious injury. There was two arrows stuck in the witch's right arm, one at the elbow and one at the shoulder. She also had a deep gash on her forehead that was bleeding over her right eye. She looked exhausted but overall she was alright. A surge of overwhelming happiness and relief at finding Max safe rushed through the hunter. She smiled broadly at the witch who was looking at the hunter's chest in horror. "I'm so glad you're alright."

"What happened to you?!" Max looked at the hunter and forced her down on the roof, back to the chimney.

"I'm alright."

"Alright?!" Max tore open the gap in Chloe's shirt and gasped at the foot long wound placed diagonally over her abdomen. It was pretty deep the hunter had to admit, at least a half inch deep and it was still bleeding profusely. Her side looked no better. A deep hole in her flesh was also bleeding from where the sword had pierced the skin on her side. Now that she was sitting down she could feel the wounds burning and her energy started to wane. "Stay still." Max placed her hand over the deep wound on her side and Chloe felt a strong numbness overtake her. When the witch removed her hand, the wound had receded to a smaller hole. "I'm sorry but I can't heal you all the way yet. I can't spare the energy if there's more fighting to be done. Can you stand?" Chloe stumbled to her feet and stood on shaky legs.

"Yes." Chloe looked at Max. The witch appeared no better off with the arrows protruding from her useless arm and the clear lack of energy. They would have to do their best with what they had. "Where's Slither?"

"I saw Victoria towards the west gate. The Raven Knight was heading after her."

"Let's go!" Chloe could sense the lack of initial response in her legs, she got to running and let her adrenaline take a hold of her once more. With Max beside her, they both made their way towards the gate. A minute passed before they could glance at the opening in the wall covered in metal. There were as many as eight dead executioners scattered around the streets near their roof, blood and a green liquid covered the stone pavement near the corpses. An inky cloud hovered around the base of the gatekeeper's hut. A man came stumbling out of the smoke and fell to his hands and knees, he looked fine except for a small gash over the back of his left hand that was pouring black blood. He started to retch a green substance and didn't stop until a few seconds passed and he collapsed dead to the ground. The dark mist cleared and Chloe's eyes widened as she saw the hunter's back to the wall and cornered by four crimson swordsman and the Raven Knight himself. She was limping and bleeding heavily from a big wound on her right hip and she had two deep cuts located on her left ankle and right arm. Jumping to a closer roof, she grabbed at her crossbow, loaded a bolt and fired off a shot towards the man closest to Slither. The broadhead bolt pierced through the armor and lodged itself in the man's collar bone. Max reacted just as quickly and moved her left hand in a series of gestures, the shadow of one of the executioners separated itself from the man and morphed into a beast the likes of which Chloe had never seen before. The shadow tore through its previous owner and left him in pieces before disappearing.

The Raven Knight looked up towards Chloe's roof and clamped his gauntlet shut in her direction. An explosion erupted next to the hunter's feet and she was propelled forward off the roof. She collapsed to the pavement in agony. Her legs and feet felt scorched and were pierced with shrapnel. Her head throbbed from the concussive blast and she tried to get up but found she couldn't even move a finger. In her field of view she could see Victoria dispatch the last two distracted executioners, they had turned towards the explosion and that had been a fatal mistake. Her ears were ringing and she could hear a loud distorted scream coming from the witch up on the roof. Accompanying the yelling were strong lightning bolts that struck at the Raven Knight. He stood strong however and his black armor glowed a faint purple as the magic projectiles struck him and were deflected to the ground around him. Max changed her attack and a green beam flowed from her left hand and hit the knight. It reflected off his armor like a mirror reflecting the sun's rays, scorching the wall behind him. He turned away from the witch and smoothly parried Slither's dagger with his sword. As they sparred Chloe struggled to her hands and knees and reached for her crossbow that had fallen next to her. She loaded a bolt and fired at the distracted knight through her slightly blurred vision. It pierced halfway through the side of his helmet where his mouth should be and the man whipped his head towards her with a furious yell. He closed his black gauntlet towards her and she prepared herself for death. A hand clamped firmly on her shoulder and an invisible projectile ricocheted off the blue bubble of energy around them and exploded a huge chunk of the west wall to her right. Slither took the moment to kick the knight in the back of the knee and stab him on the top of his left shoulder with her poisoned dagger. The Raven Knight flung his helmeted head back and a crunching noise could be heard as he connected with the hunter's face. Getting up and making slight gagging noises, he looked towards the witch and the blue scarred hunter before touching his belt buckle. It glowed orange and he screamed in agony louder than she had ever thought possible for a human. The Raven Knight looked like the sun and when the piercing light had gone she couldn't hear or see him anywhere.

Max took Chloe's arm carefully and wrapped it around her shoulder to help lift the hunter up onto her feet. It was beyond difficult to stand and she fell back down to the pavement in incredible pain after a few steps. Limping heavily, Victoria came to join the pair and lent the hunter another shoulder to lean on. Her face was bleeding heavily and her nose appeared to be broken. Chloe looked around to the devastating scene around her. The city's western area was destroyed. There were small fires in the distance and rubble covered the streets where magic had touched it violently. The ground was littered with crimson armored corpses and blood flowed over the broken pavement to stain it red. They carefully navigated the debris next to the hole in the wall and made their way through silently. They walked towards the western forest on the edge of the city for a long hour before Chloe looked up to the dark sky and let out a small laugh that caused her to cough painfully. Both women supporting her looked at her quizzically and she smiled towards Victoria. "Guess Max and I should get ready to setup camp."

Victoria smirked. "Bloody right you will."


	9. A Hunter's Past

Chloe awoke on her back from her nightmare fueled sleep to the scent and sounds of nature. She opened her eyes and the bright morning light made her squint in discomfort as she tried to focus on making her surroundings less blurry. Finally able to make out where she was, the hunter looked in front of her and saw tall oak trees as far as her eyes could see protruding out of a ground covered in branches and leaves.  _"A forest."_ The hunter could feel the sun's rays piercing through the canopy of leaves and over her scar, making it glow a faint blue _._ She shifted slightly to her right side in order to get off what appeared to be a gray cloak used as blanket to cover the ground. The hunter stopped when she felt intense pain emanating from her abdomen and legs. Chloe gritted her teeth and with a barely concealed grunt of pain, she managed to struggle to the base of an oak roughly three feet behind her. She took a look at her wounds with her back leaning on the tree and grimaced at the shape of her body. Her abdomen had a large deep cut going across it that had been bandaged up with a dark blue material soaked in what she assumed was her blood. It was incredibly painful, every breath made the wound throb. The pain was only overshadowed by the mangled mess of her legs. Her black leather trousers had been shredded by shrapnel from the explosion and the skin under them was severely burned with many lacerations. She tried lifting her left leg only to muffle a scream of pain by biting her arm. Tears formed in her eyes from having tried to move her wounded appendage.

"You look like shit." Chloe turned her face towards the familiar voice and spotted Victoria sitting on a fallen log a good eight feet to her left. Victoria's cloak was spread out on the ground where the hunter had no doubt slept for the night. Looking at her fellow hunter up and down, Chloe saw rough black bandages covering her right hip, left ankle and right arm. Her black stained leather breastplate was leaning by her wounded ankle on the log and her inner black shirt was ripped in several places to make the bandages she wore. Her broken nose was surrounded by a giant yellow and blue bruise that spread up towards her forehead. Her left eye was black and there was dried brown blood running from under her nostrils to the bottom of her jaw.

"You're one to talk. You look like you got trampled by a pack of wild horses." Chloe let out a small laugh that made her convulse in pain. She could taste some blood and she spat to her right to get the taste out of her mouth. With her head turned in that direction she saw Max sleeping on the ground a foot or so away from where she had slept herself. The witch's right arm still had the two long arrows that had skewered her during the battle. She was sleeping on her left side and looked exhausted even in her slumber. Dried blood covered half her face from a wound on her temple and the hunter noticed her shirt was ripped in half towards the bottom.  _"She bandaged up my abdomen with her shirt and gave me her cloak to sleep on."_

"Sure feels like I was." Victoria mumbled while grimacing.

"What happened after we left the city? I don't remember anything other than trying to get to the forest to the west of Beorf."

"Well, evidently we managed to make it." Victoria shifted and let out a wince when her right hip took most of the weight. "We walked for a couple hours towards the forest but you started to get worse the further we got. After a while it was basically Max and I dragging you along. We reached the edge of the forest after four hours walk and you collapsed and went into shock." Chloe's eyes widened at the reveal. "I guess the blood loss and your wounds caught up to you, it was terrifying to be honest. You were insanely pale and your pulse was barely detectable. Max was freaking out because she couldn't muster any energy to heal you. She used up all her reserves to lash out at the Raven Knight back near the gate."

"If she couldn't heal me…" Chloe left the question unsaid.

"Max grabbed some herbs and dried leaves from a pouch in her cloak. She sent me to get water from a stream with my quiver as a makeshift gourd and once she had everything she needed, she forced down the mixture into your mouth. It smelled foul and looked worst but your breathing and pulse gradually picked up. After that, we carried you a few hundred yards into a secluded part of the woods." Victoria looked over at the sleeping witch and then back to Chloe. "She watched over you all night you know? I kept trying to get her to go to sleep to recover some energy but she refused to leave your side for fear of your condition worsening. She must've passed out some time after I did. She really cares for you." The last was said with a blank expression.

Chloe looked back to the peaceful witch with a small smile. It had been so long since she had found someone who genuinely cared for her. Of course she had her mother and some friends like Frank and Brooke but this was different somehow. The last person who had showed her any kindness of the like had been Rachel. Chloe's expression turned to one of sorrow as she remembered her close friend and the way they she had been taken away. When she turned her head back to Victoria, the woman was gazing at her with a curious frown.

"Can I ask you a personal question from one hunter to another?" The question itself made Chloe apprehensive and she considered turning the request down but she had grown to like the other woman. They may not agree with everything but overall she had to admit that they worked well together.

"Sure."

"I heard a lot about you over the last few years. The famous Blue Hunter. She can shoot a witch through the head over a hundred yards away in the middle of the fiercest of storms. Never seen unless she wants to be, invisible until her blue bolt passes through the eye of her intended target…" Victoria smiled as she spoke with a grandiose voice mimicking a gleeman. "Professional interest demands that I keep an ear out for any kinds of stories however ridiculous they may be. Any other hunter is someone I may one day be faced against or allied with, so information is a valuable asset to have. I'm sure you can agree."

Chloe nodded her head in accord. She had heard the same of the other hunter. Slither, the stealthy mistress of the shadows. Blending in with the darkness and silent until her poisoned daggers made their way to her target's throat. Most exploits of a hunter were twisted and exaggerated by the time a gleeman spread the tale about but as a hunter, she had always kept a watch for stories of the likes.

"Well…" Victoria's face fell a bit and she continued on softly. "There was a period of time when the Blue Hunter was always associated with another. A wood elf hunter with a trademark blue feather earring. Dressed in forest green clothing with a pattern of leaves it was said she could charm all with her grace and beauty. Deadly with her forest bow and unbeatable at hand to hand combat." Chloe felt her throat constrict and she looked down to her hands. "The Blue Hunter and Siren. It seemed that there was two years of constant chatter of the deadly duo and all their amazing accomplishments. Then months went by where nobody spoke of Siren and the Blue Hunter was once again alone in the tales told by gleeman." Chloe looked up with some unshed tears and Victoria watched her with sadness. "What happened to her? I've wondered for a while why her name was suddenly off everyone's tongues."

"She was my partner." Chloe let a few tears escape her as she took a painful deep breath and looked to the sky covered by the oak tree leaves. "It was funny y'know? I never took myself for anything other than a lone wolf, a hunter who worked by herself without anyone to drag her down. I wanted to make my name go down in the histories as one of the best and if anyone else was there they would take some of that fame from me. I was stupid back then." Chloe chuckled and felt irritation from her abdomen rise up. She ignored it. "I went down south towards Greywitch City to take a contract on a lord who was setting fire to farms when they wouldn't pay his protection fee. The farmers banded together to get a nice sum of coin for a hunter to take him out quickly. She got there moments before I did and accepted the contract as I walked into the inn. One look at her and my breath was taken away, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen." She smiled and let the memories take a hold of her. "She looked like a forest come alive. I'd never seen a wood elf before and I can tell you that the stories are true. She took everyone's attention wherever she was, nobody could help themselves. She asked me if I wanted to come along with her for the contract, it wasn't difficult. I've no doubt she could have done it herself in the blink of an eye but she asked and I agreed. We struck up a partnership quickly after, the bow and crossbow, we were the deadliest hunters at range. We would take out any enemies before they even saw us, before they could reach us. She made those two years the best of my life."

"You were lovers?" Victoria inferred.

"For less than a year. It took a while for us to admit our feelings but when we did… it was all I ever wanted. Someone I could share that part of my life with. Someone who wouldn't look at me as someone to fear or hate."

"What happened to her?" She asked a second time.

"A witch happened." Chloe grew a scowl on her face and couldn't help the venom that seeped into her voice. "Those creatures can't help but ruin my life. They take and take from me until I have nothing left to give, then they keep on taking! My father, my face, Rachel. There's a reason I became known as the best witch hunter of us all. I kept an eye out for those contracts, accepted every one of them that crossed by my fingers without hesitation." Chloe could feel the hatred pulse in her veins, the familiar feeling of anger caressing her like an old friend. "A few months back, I traveled very far to the east as far as crossing the border out of the country. Rachel and I were looking into a series of ritual killings made around the Parched Meadow on a contract for a lord who was willing to pay any sum to be rid of the problem. The citizens of his city were terrified of leaving the gates and travelling merchants refused to sell their wares for fear of death during the travel over. Farmers had abandoned their lands and any caught out during the night were left for dead. The witch was posing the bodies on wooden stakes in the middle of pentagrams drawn with the victim's blood. Candles and other ritualistic objects pointed the finger at a witch who was living in the meadow. We scouted it out and couldn't find her anywhere. Weeks of searching led us in circles and one night we didn't have time to make it back to the city before dark. We camped out on the edge of the meadow, I mean… what could happen to us right? We were the best of the best. Impossible to defeat when together." Chloe's tears were running hard and with her blurry vision she could barely make out the silhouette of the blonde hunter in front of her. "She took us by surprise. One moment nothing was there and…" Chloe made a gesture with her hand. "There she was. All this time looking for her and she came to us. I stood and shouted for Rachel but the witch did something and I flew a good ten feet in the air before striking a tree. That's all I remember of the night. I woke to the sound of a bird chirping and found my angel staked to the ground over a pentagram drawn in her own blood." The hunter's sobbing was painful, she could feel every vibration through her body.

"Did you find the witch?" Victoria's voice came out soft and slow.

"You better believe I bloody found her! I had lost the only thing left that gave me joy! I hunted her down like an animal!" Chloe's rage sprung up again at the question. "I found out she was hiding in the middle of the meadow with an invisibility charm covering her home. We must've passed it countless times during our scouting trip. Well I had nothing left to lose so I charged in headfirst and shot her in the right hand. Then the left hand. Her legs… I made her regret every drop of innocent blood she ever spilled. I made her regret the countless men, women and children she had slaughtered. I made her regret taking her from me… taking my angel away." The hunter's fists were now closed tight and the pain wracked her body in liquid fire every time she sobbed but she found it hard to care at the moment. The tears wouldn't stop and her body shook violently from a mixture of agony and despair. She felt a hand on her stomach and her entire lower body went numb. As the pain trickled away, her body shook harder from her weeping. No longer held back by the wound, the blue-scarred hunter broke down as she finally grieved for her dead partner.

"It's alright Chloe, let it all out." The witch wrapped the hunter in a fierce embrace with her left arm and rested Chloe's head on her chest as she whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry that happened to you, I am so sorry." Chloe grabbed a hold of her and held on as tight as she could to extract whatever comfort she could from the witch. "You'll be alright. It'll be alright."


	10. A Witch's Past

Chloe didn't know how much time had passed before she untangled herself from the witch. Her throat was raw and her eyes were red and puffy from having cried for such a long time. The sun was now shining brightly and she guessed from its position that it was halfway through the day. She felt embarrassed at herself. She was supposed to be a hunter, a merciless assassin. Yet, she had spent the last few hours completely breaking down in front of Max and Victoria. She glanced everywhere but to the person in front of her in order to avoid the witch's eyes. A gentle hand found its way under her chin and softly guided her face upwards. "Chloe? Are you feeling better?" She met Max's deep blue eyes and nodded her head slightly.

"I never really took the time to mourn her." The hunter spoke at a low volume and breathed in deeply. She did feel somewhat better, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "It was always easier to distract myself in my work or to push the memories down at the bottom of bottle." Chloe chuckled. "I guess it was only a matter of time till it caught up with me. I… Thank you. I'd forgotten how good it felt to have someone to lean on." The witch smiled brightly.

"If you ever need to talk about anything Chloe..." She left the rest hanging. The hunter acknowledged the offer with a nod and hugged Max once again. She felt the small brunette wince and the hunter pulled back quickly.

"I'm so sorry. I forgot about your arm." The two arrow shafts were still protruding from Max's right arm at the shoulder and elbow. The wounds were bleeding again and Chloe couldn't help but feel guilty.  _"I must've aggravated the wounds when I was clutching her and bawling my eyes out."_

"It's alright. It only hurts a bit." The lie was evident from Max's body language. The witch was clutching her arm and her eyes were squinted in pain.

"Let me see." The hunter crouched hesitantly and absently felt at her shredded trousers and the skin beneath them. She couldn't feel any pain whatsoever in her entire body. Taking Max's arm in her hands, Chloe looked over the arrows more closely. "I need to remove the shafts out of your arm. Can you heal yourself?" she asked with curiosity. "I can't believe I never asked you that."

"No. Witches can't heal themselves directly. Not like I healed you and Victoria anyway."

"Speaking of, where is my fellow hunter?" Chloe noticed that she hadn't heard or seen Victoria at all for a good while.

"When you were… processing things. I saw her hobble away deeper in the forest that way." Max pointed somewhere to the west and let out a sharp gasp of pain when the hunter took the arrow nearest her elbow by the base and snapped the shaft by the fletching and nock.

"Sorry." Chloe offered a small smile as apology and took a hold of the next arrow by the base. "You say you can't heal yourself directly. Is there other means at your disposal then, indirect ways to heal?" Once again the witch winced as she snapped the other arrow in a similar way. "Sorry again." Chloe set aside the two bases of the arrows and took a hold of the shaft right by the metal arrowhead that was covered in dried blood.

"There are certain spells and rituals that let a witch pass on her injuries onto another living creature. Like an animal for example but it's mostly frowned up-AHHH!" She lost the train of thought as the hunter started to pull out the arrow through the top of her arm by the shoulder. Tears leaked from the witch's eyes from the sharp piercing feeling of the arrow being plucked from her body and she shook off Chloe's grasp. "Nope, I'm done. Leave them there." She backed away as the hunter moved the grab her arm once again. "I'm serious!" The hunter glanced at Max with an incredulous look.

"Max, this is ridiculous. Leave them there? You'll get an infection and probably lose your arm. I know it hurts but I have to take them out." When she shuffled closer, Max backed away a few feet again. Chloe brought a hand over her face and dragged it to her chin. She sighed loudly and tried a different approach. "Do you trust me?"

"…Yes" the witch muttered back carefully.

"Good. Then believe me when I say this in your best interest" Chloe stood up and motioned for Max to follow her to the log that Victoria had been sitting on earlier. They both sat down hip to hip and the hunter gently took a hold of Max's right arm. "This  _will_  hurt, Max. There's no way around it. The only thing I can promise is that I'll do it quickly but it needs to happen." Chloe took a hold of the shaft near the arrowhead and leaned her forehead on Max's. "Ready?" she whispered.

"Yeeee…" The word never fully came out as the hunter used all her strength to pull the arrow out of Max's arm in a steady yet powerful movement. The witch muffled a curse as she buried her head in the crook of the hunter's neck. Chloe could feel the witch's silent tears running down her skin. She threw the arrow away and immediately applied pressure to the now open wound with a piece of cloth she ripped off of Victoria's cloak.  _"She's not gonna be happy about this"_ the hunter thought as she ripped yet another chunk out of the cloak and tied it around Max's arm. The witch's breathing slowed down but she didn't remove her head from its position. Grabbing onto the arrow shaft by Max's elbow, Chloe ripped it free of the flesh with a smooth motion. The witch trembled violently and tried burying her head even deeper into the hunter's neck. "It's over now." Chloe applied more makeshift bandages to the wounded area and started to stroke the brunette's hair in a repetitive pattern while her breathing evened out.

"You two sure seem comfortable." The voice made both women look up towards its source. Victoria was limping towards them both, she had cleaned her face to get rid of all the dried blood. "I can come back later if you two need some more time tog…" The tall blonde smirked in amusement when both women quickly moved apart with red tinted faces.

"I was just taking out the arrows from Max's arm." Chloe spoke up defensively.

"Yeah." Max added with speed.

"Right." Victoria sat down roughly on the log on the other side of the witch. "You have enough energy to heal me?" As a response, Max moved her left hand over the various wounds donning the hunter. One by one, Chloe watched with amazement as she saw flesh meld together once more to give way to smooth skin. She hadn't been able to examine the process closely before and it was a surreal experience. "Thank you so much." Victoria got up and proceeded to do small jumps and stretches. Looking satisfied she looked back at Chloe. "It didn't feel appropriate to ask earlier."

Wanting to shift the topic of discussion away from that, Chloe stood up and looked over the small encampment. "I'm afraid we are in as bad a spot as one can be." Her eyes took in their appearance as a whole and she grimaced. "We may as well have declared war on the High Lord Prescott with the battle last night. Even worse is the fact that we are severely lacking any essentials. We are on the run with no supplies like food or water. Our clothes are torn to shreds and we look as if we spent all morning butchering cattle. I'm low on bolts for my crossbow and all I have left is my enchanted blade. As far as my daggers are concerned, they were left behind along with my warhorse."

"I'm in the same boat Blue." Victoria looked towards the empty quiver on her back and the empty sheathes on her hips. "I've lost my short bow, my arrows and both my poisoned daggers. You cut one in half and the Raven Knight left with the other embedded in his shoulder." She spat to the side with a scowl. "They cost me seventy gold coins each. They were elven made and I doubt I'll be able to get my hands on another pair soon. At least it was a worthy trade. I doubt the bloody fool managed to survive more than a minute after the poison took hold."

"I wouldn't bet much on that front Vic." Max looked forward with intensity.

"My dagger worked well on the executioners I faced. They barely made it a minute before collapsing dead" the hunter pointed out.

"He has access to powerful allies that could easily stop the poison from consuming him. The Raven Knight is not a magic user but I  _know_  from personal experience that the High Lord Prescott has a coven led by a powerful witch on the payroll. He couldn't survive by himself but if he made it to any of them in time..." Max let out a breath angrily. "We can't assume that he's dead unless we see the body. It's not a gamble we can afford to make."

"Not a magic user? Then what about the explosion? His armor also deflected everything you threw at him and he also managed to disappear into thin air right in front of us. How did he do any of that without magic?" Chloe asked.

"Like I said, he has a coven of witches as allies. The explosion wasn't from him, it came from his gauntlet. I'm willing to bet anything that he had one of the witches imbue it with a spell. It wouldn't be hard to do with a gifted enchantress. The buckle would be the same principle. It's almost impossible to cast a recalling enchantment that's powerful enough to work on a full man at such a distance but again, all it takes is one witch that's gifted in that area."

"What about the armor he was wearing?"

"That… I can't figure out. Witches can't enchant something to reflect magic. That would require enchanting the object which would in turn reject the enchantment. It's a loop of sorts. The black metal of his armor may be the key to that mystery, maybe it has magic reflecting properties. I heard of minerals of the likes that reside over the ocean in other continents but they are insanely rare and are found only in small quantities. He would have to collect enough to make a full set of armor which would be ridiculously expensive. On top of that he would only use it when he encounters a witch. You saw how your bolt pierced through his helmet like any normal metal, its only purpose is to stop magic." Max seemed uneasy at that thought. "The High Lord Prescott has many powerful connections however and I wouldn't put it past him to have something as situational as this created for the commander of his death squads."

"He was prepared for you then. Max, you still haven't told me what this is all about. You promised me answers if we escaped. I want to know what I've gotten myself involved in." Chloe looked between the other hunter and the witch. Both glanced at each other and a slight nod was exchanged. Victoria collected her cloak and started to walk a bit further away before she looked down at what she held.

"BLUE! Are you bloody serious right now?!" Victoria turned holding the torn up cloak and glared daggers at Chloe who just looked back innocently and shrugged her shoulders like she didn't know what happened. Turning once again while grumbling under her breath, Victoria made her way to the base of a tree, sat down and proceeded wrap the torn up cloak around her body. She closed her eyes for a small nap.

"That was her favorite cloak." Max stated with a small smile.

"Guess we all need new clothing now" the hunter replied with a smile of her own as she sat down on the log next to Max. "So…"

"What do you want to know?"

"For starters I guess I'd like to know why Prescott is killing off the best hunters this side of the ocean. It makes no sense to me however I run it into my head. He's the most powerful man in the country, he controls the capital and has near unlimited resources. Why does he need us dead?" Chloe looked towards Max with a piercing look. "And why you? Why does someone like him bother with someone like you? Because you're simply a witch? I don't buy it. What did you do to get him to want to have your head lopped off?"

"It's a long story." Max exhaled deeply. "I'll start from the beginning. I was born and raised in Arcadia, lived there my whole childhood. I had a good family, great parents, great friends and a perfect life. Then six years ago there were things that started happening around me that I couldn't explain. A bird with a broken wing flying off after I held it, my mother catching a sickness that went away after a mere few days… Things like that."

"Your powers were manifesting?"

"Mmmhm. It was scary and I knew deep down that I was the one causing these so-called miracles but you know how witches typically are seen. I was naïve and I told my parents about what I was doing. Hell, I even demonstrated my ability on our old dog who had cut his snout open fighting a cat. I thought it would make them happy, their daughter could heal practically anything." Max sighed sadly and leaned her head on the hunter's shoulder. "My father held me down while my mother ran to alert the guards. I managed to throw him off with the help of magic. I didn't even know what I was doing, I just knew I was in danger and needed to escape. I made it out by sheer luck by taking the opportunity to jump in a passing wagon that was being pulled to the gates. They tried to shut the city down but the wagon crossed the bridge mere moments before word came to the gatekeeper. I remember him yelling at the wagon driver to stop but I guess he didn't hear or didn't care. I stayed hidden in his wagon for a few hours and then I started south towards the City of Beorf."

"Where you met Kate?"

"That happened a year and a half later when I healed her sister in the church's clinic. I managed to survive in Beorf by taking odd jobs where I could and one of those jobs was to deliver a parcel from a shopkeeper to a quaint little house in a village south past the river. If you didn't know, powerful witches and magic users can tell if others have the spark simply by being near them. As it turns out, the woman inside called Leanna confronted me about my powers and I broke down crying and begging her not to tell anyone. She revealed that she was a witch as well and she offered to help me use my powers to help others. I could tell you that I started training as her apprentice in order to learn and become better at the craft, to heal others more proficiently. That's not why I did it though, sure it was a good reason to sign up but really I did it because I was lonely. I could never connect with anyone for too long because I was afraid of being found out, Kate was the only exception. The training I received was arduous but fulfilling. Most witches can do basic healing but they struggle with big injuries or diseases and it takes them a lot of energy and time to heal even simple wounds. That's why healing rituals are more prevalent with my kind, they require no ability and only following a set of instructions. I never had that problem, a few seconds was all I needed to heal the most lethal of wounds by the time three years in my apprenticeship had passed."

"How did you ever get connected with the High Lord Prescott?" Chloe looked at the woman leaning on her in confusion.

"I'm almost there, be patient." Max let out a small laugh and slapped the hunter's leg playfully in feigned annoyance. "I met a coven that was operating out of the forest east of the City of Beorf through Leanna and they welcomed me with open arms. This coven would help others by using their magic in various ways such as growing crops for farmers, detecting ores for the city, changing the weather when needed and healing their sick. There was seven of us and I spent the better part of a year with them."

"Seven?! That's a huge coven, most only carry three to five witches at once." The hunter mused out loud in surprise.

"It was like I had finally found my family. My real family, one who accepted me for what I was. Well one day about eight months ago was when the famous hunters started getting taken down. It started with normal hunters and escalated all the way to the best. Once the hunter Raimi was found filled with arrows to the west of Arcadia it was clear something was wrong. My coven voted not to get involved at first, hunters kill witches and most found it to be justice well served. However, when two other famous hunters were killed right outside Arcadia's walls we agreed something needed to be done. Not to save the hunters mind you but rather to find out who was calling in the hits. It was clear that the hunters were being ambushed and it was suspect enough for us to investigate. By the time all seven of us made the long journey to the gates of Arcadia, there had been well over twenty dead hunters including five of those that most agreed were part of the top tier."

"Five?! Frank told me only four had been hit including Slither." Max shifted closer and looked with a saddened expression towards Chloe.

"As of now I believe six of the top hunters have been killed, Slither was the seventh attacked but she managed to survive. I guess that would make you the eighth top tier hunter ambushed so far" she added quietly. The hunter cursed under her breath. "You ever think about hanging up your crossbow?" The question came out of nowhere and surprised the hunter more than it probably should have. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I'm just curious about a hunter's mentality to do a job where so few survive past the age of thirty."

"Never." Chloe replied in a firm voice. "Hunters always die, it's a part of the work. I've always viewed my profession as a race of sorts. You race the others to reach fame faster and climb over the corpses of the ones who failed in order to get to the finish line. Except there is no finish line, the race ends when you drop dead in turn and you only won if you managed to make it further than the others."

"That is an absolutely terrible way of viewing life." Max replied in an incredulous voice. Chloe chuckled at that statement.

"Hunters don't have much to live for Max, fame and coin is the extent of what we own. Our line of work makes it impractical to hold onto a family or lovers. Death surrounds us, we attract it like flies to a dead horse." Max scowled at the statement and seemed about to reply before the hunter cut her off. "So the gates of Arcadia?"

"Oh! Yeah. So once we entered the capital it was clear things had changed for the worst. The capital has been militarized to the fullest. The High Lord taxes the population very heavily and all the coin goes towards mercenaries to be enrolled into his personal army. The best of them go to the Raven Knight in the death squads to become executioners." Chloe's thoughts couldn't help but wander to her mother. She hoped she was alright and safe. "We stayed there for a month and uncovered Prescott's plans. He wants to invade and swallow the cities across the northern border into the neighboring country in order to control more land. Over the last few months he's been growing his army, it isn't anywhere near close to being a strong force yet but if he continues on this path he will no doubt be able to put his plan into motion within the next five years."

"What? That's insane, the cities north of the border are mostly peaceful. He would never get enough support from the other cities and lords for his plan to be accepted. The instant he proposes it, the country's most influential nobles will band together to stop him."

"That's why Prescott has been employing hunters in secret for the last few months to take out any who he believes will rise up against him. Any noble or important figure who poses a threat to his rule has been or will be assassinated. He is putting up puppet lords as the head of the strongest cities so that when it comes time to strike there won't be anyone left to challenge him. He plans to make himself the monarch of this country using this support and then to wage war to the north. The plans are still in the beginning stages, as far as I can tell he only succeeded in taking over one city so far."

"Beorf." The name slipped from Chloe's tongue as she realized what was happening. "Victoria, she was one of the hunters he used. Frank told me she killed the reigning lord of Beorf last month before she was ambushed."

"Exactly. The City of Beorf is one of the biggest we have here and the previous lord despised Prescott. His death and subsequent replacement was a huge step forward towards his success."

"Why kill her then? You said they are employing hunters for these jobs, why would he take out us out?"

"Because hunters are mostly neutral parties. You go where the coin is and shoot your bolts towards the most lucrative targets. He can't count on loyalty coming from hunters when he moves forward with his plan so he is preemptively taking out the biggest threats to his life. Prescott knows that the instant he slips up or makes a blatant move against another country he will be marked for death by those opposing him and the best way to kill a man like him without resorting to war is using assassins. The High Lord is no fool, he is using the best hunters to kill his enemies and then taking them out in turn to guarantee they won't be able to do the same to him later."

"That… I don't even know what to say. That explains why Victoria and I were attacked and left for dead but why is he trying to kill you?"

"When my coven found out about his plans it was still really early on. He had only just started recruiting mercenaries and killing high profile hunters. His plan to declare himself king and start a war would leave our country in ruins, it was agreed that removing him from power quickly was for the best. We almost managed it too, we contracted three good hunters from the area and we were seven witches total. We fought our way through the heavily fortified main castle in the center of Arcadia where Prescott resides. We took heavy casualties and by the time we reached the hallway before his rooms there was only six of us standing. A hunter and five witches, the rest had perished in the fighting. Leanna and I didn't make it any further because we were betrayed by one of our own coven, a powerful enchantress named Taylor. Someone I had considered a good friend turned us in for the promise of being given a place at Prescott's side as one of his generals. Prescott had been notified of the plan ahead of time and had set us up by reinforcing the castle more than normal. Executioners came out of the High Lord's room led by the Raven Knight himself. All hell broke loose. It was terrifying Chloe." The witch was closing in on herself unconsciously. "Leanna got in front of me and was consumed by multiple fireballs courtesy of the one who betrayed us. She died instantly." Max had started to shed some tears and Chloe put her arm around the witch and squeezed lightly to offer support. "I wasn't a great fighter and I knew there was no way to win this so I ran off with Courtney and the last hunter as the Raven Knight killed another of my coven. We were the last witches left standing at that point and as we fled down the maze of corridors the hunter turned back and told us to keep running. I owe that hunter a life debt I can never repay. He stood strong in front of overwhelming odds and offered us just enough time to make it out unscathed. I spent days hiding in the city with Courtney in a kind woman's tavern who had listened to our tale and taken pity on us. She fed us and once the capital was off high alert, she helped us leave. I made my way back to Beorf and I've been spending my time between laying low in the woods and staying with Kate. I've been evading hunters that Prescott has been sending my way for the last five months as well as trying to rebuild a new team to take him down. It didn't look good for a while but I was ecstatic when I found a half-dead hunter in the city a month ago and it turned out to be Slither. I explained the situation once I healed her and she joined my cause for a chance at vengeance on the one who tried to have her killed. I don't know how but he tracked me down in Beorf somehow and that's when you got involved."

"I want in as well." Chloe stood up abruptly and started to pace in front of the log Max was still sitting on. "They tried to kill me and after our escape out of the city I'm now associated with you whether or not I want to be. I'm not about to run from this fight and leave you to stand alone against him." Chloe looked to Max and couldn't help but feel like she had made the right choice when she saw the witch smiling brightly back at her.

"I knew you would be on board. Now we have a team of four and it's only going to keep growing. I have a few ideas of people we can recruit that will help our cause."

"Four?"

"Of course, two hunters and two witches. Courtney will be on board, she's been laying low herself from everyone for a while but I know where she lives and I have no doubt she'll want revenge just as badly as I do. Taylor was her closest friend in the coven and her betrayal hit her hard." A loud yawning noise startled both women and Chloe turned to see Victoria stretching and standing up.

"Look at the sun." Victoria pointed up and Chloe could see that it was starting to get dark again. "I don't know about you both but I need some food and we don't have much daylight left. It's been a full day since we've had a decent meal, something to drink and a full night's sleep. Since you're the only one with a ranged weapon that means you're coming with me to go hunt Blue. Max can take care of the fire and rest her arm. Tomorrow we can make some plans to go get some supplies." Chloe needed a distraction to sort out all the information she had received and hunting seemed as good as any she could come up with. She placed her hand on the witch's shoulder affectionately and followed Victoria deeper into the forest as she unslung her trusty crossbow from her back.  _"What the bloody hell did I get myself into?"_


	11. The Start Of The Journey

Chloe groggily awoke on the hard ground for the second day in a row when the sun shone directly over her closed eyes. She didn't feel well rested at all but the small meal she had eaten last night had somewhat satiated her appetite. Along with Victoria, she had scouted out the forest well into the darkness. On their empty handed return trip back to the camp, her fellow hunter had spotted movement in the bushes and one bolt of Chloe's crossbow had followed in the same direction shortly after. They had arrived back at the campsite Max had prepared while dragging the corpse of very fat porcupine wrapped in Victoria's torn up cloak. Skinning and removing the quills had been left to Chloe since she was the only one carrying a blade and Max had refused outright to have any part of that. The enchanted blade had made the task easy with its unnatural sharpness and they had been cooking the meat over the fire in record time. Water had been taken care of by the witch, Max had taken the time to wrap water from a nearby stream in a pocket of air and then purified it with a spell. The large clear mass had been hovering a few feet in the air over the small fire when the two hunters had approached with their catch. The blue-scarred hunter stood and stretched her very sore limbs while looking over her sleeping companions. Last day's reveals had made her stay up well into the night, she had considered going back on her promise and leaving a few times but had ultimately decided against it. Now with a full stomach and a decent night's rest she held strongly in her decision.  _"What's the point in running anyways? I'm a bloody hunter! When the contract gets difficult it just means you have tighten your boot straps and put in more effort."_  She looked over Max who was sleeping a few feet from her on her left side. Her right arm was still heavily bandaged and she was curled in on herself around her gray cloak in the cold morning air. Detaching her own cloak from her back, Chloe lightly placed it over the witch's body.  _"I couldn't leave her to fight Prescott on her own anyway. Even with Slither and another witch it's apparent that she's outmatched in this battle."_

"A copper coin for your thoughts?" Chloe turned her head back to look at the base of the log where a yawning Victoria had been sleeping a few moments ago. Getting up herself, Victoria smirked and started stretching while looking at her fellow hunter. "I can't help but notice how close you two have become in so short a time span."

"Fighting alongside strangers for survival is the fastest way I've seen to make strong allies. Look at us, two days ago we were trying to cut the other's head off and now I would have no problem allying with you against the hardest of contracts." Chloe turned away from the witch pointedly.

"Allies?" Victoria's smile grew a bit and she sat down on the log unceremoniously. "Yes, I would now consider you an ally that I can depend on. It certainly helps that you've proven just how good you are in a fight as well. But that's not what I meant and you know it." Chloe could feel her face heat up a bit as the other hunter looked down behind her towards the witch. "I've been allied with Max for over a month and yet I have the feeling that if she had to choose between us…" She trailed off as the witch's eyes opened slowly. Max wiped her sleepy eyes against her palms and looked to the side at the two hunters who were both staring straight at her.

"Why are you guys glaring at me?" she asked with a tired voice.

"Just wondering when you would wake up so we could plan out our next move" Victoria replied while grinning openly at the other hunter.

"Oh! I had some ideas running through my mind for what we could do next." Max scowled when she accidentally brushed her right arm on the ground when she leaned herself in a sitting position. The witch looked down and a faint redness appeared on her face as she took Chloe's cloak off her lap and offered it back to its owner. "Victoria, do you know how far the next closest village is from our location?"

"About few hours walk to the north, I managed to orient myself when I left the pair of you earlier yesterday. I could make the trek up to the village and be back by nightfall. The way back could be even quicker if I manage to snag a horse" Victoria answered Max.

"We'll split up then, Victoria can go to the village up north to get what we need while Chloe and I discuss our next move. We need more skilled people to add to our team so that should be priority number one. The second priority is getting upgrades for us all in the weapon and power side of things. I think I have a lead on a couple magical artifacts that will help boost our chances at victory but the trail I had was cold at best eight months ago and it may be even harder to pick back up now. For you two, I have someone in mind who is an absolute genius at acquiring and making weapons. The downside is that we'll need a lot of gold to pay for his services. That's the third priority, without a large sum of gold coin we won't be able to face Prescott properly. We have nothing right now and we will need to spend a lot simply to get back what we lost. That's not including the gold we'll need to spend for upgrades, information on Prescott or the help of some others. Most won't be helping us from the goodness of their hearts, they'll need an incentive."

"That's going to cost more than we have all together" Chloe remarked gloomily. "It takes time to gather coin Max, Vic and I fetch a strong reward because of our reputation but even then… It'll take at least weeks before we collect enough gold for what you have planned. Add even more time for every person you need to recruit, I assume they aren't all going to be relaxing in the same inn? Traveling around looking for magical artifacts and stopping for every good contract Vic and I can get our hands on is also going to slow us down heavily."

"We can't go after Prescott unprepared Chloe. There are many hurdles we need to cross in order to succeed and these are only a few. The fourth and last priority will be to take out any of Prescott's generals or strong allies we can. We missed our chance with the Raven Knight but he has seven others I would consider to be essential casualties. Taylor will always be with the High Lord so she's out of the question, she's much too valuable for him to let her roam around. If the Raven Knight is alive as I'm inclined to believe, he will require some strong coaxing to get him in the open once again but we need to have a strong team ready before we even think of trying for his life a second time. Four more of Prescott's generals are spread around the area outside of Arcadia, they are strong enemies and powerful nobles each with a strong following. We need to assassinate them before they can assist Prescott some more. The last two men will be closer to the High Lord and found probably inside Arcadia. The first is a ruthless mercenary who is in charge of Prescott's private mercenary army. I don't know much about him other than what is spread about in rumors. Information will have to be collected before we attempt to approach him. The last is the High Lord's personal assassin and information gatherer. He's known to very few people and the research I have gathered on him would place him right up there with the top tier hunters. He's known by his code name Bokeh and he is by far our biggest threat. He employs a similar style to our own Blue Hunter. In the shadows until a crossbow's black bolt hits his target square in the head. Bokeh is also Prescott's right hand man, he turns to him when he needs information or to have someone captured and confined. It's rumored that Bokeh bring those he needs into a dark room somewhere in the main castle in arcadia before he starts his interrogation."

"That's a lot of people to kill Max, especially for only two hunters."

"It's absolutely necessary to kill everyone on that list. If we manage to assassinate the High Lord and none other, it will create a power vacuum. The names I listed are all strong contenders and they will pick up where Prescott left off. I don't believe that the other allies he has will try anything if he happens to die. Think of puppet lords like in Beorf, why would they need more than the control they have already been given? The only ones that are ambitious enough to try to take over the High Lord's plan are his generals. We must take them all out, it would be better to do it before Prescott himself but we'll have to see what happens. Once they are all dead then we can be assured that everything will fall back to normalcy. The only good part of this is that time is on our side. Like I told you yesterday, he has only just started his plans and is nowhere near completion. The earlier we take him out is obviously better but we do have time to get ourselves up to his level." Max's eyes were full of determination and she looked at Chloe with a look of confidence.

Despite this look, Chloe suddenly felt a lot less convinced of their chances then she had earlier in the morning. This wasn't just a contract on one man with a strong following but rather a series of long contracts that would scale in difficulty. She looked over herself, torn clothes not even fit for rags and missing everything she had earned in her career as a hunter up to this point. A glance towards Victoria confirmed that the fellow hunter knew exactly what she was thinking at the moment. Victoria gave her a sad smile and settled on the ground softly to fiddle with her boots.  _"She knows this is a death sentence and she's come to terms with the fact that she'll probably die alongside us in the attempt."_ Chloe reasoned.  _"This is such a difficult task to take on. It's a long commitment that will last a year at best and will probably end with a coffin for us all."_

"Chloe..?" The hunter looked back to the witch. Something must've showed on her face because Max was looking at her with wide eyes and distraught expression. Her voice was filled with a mix of desperation. "We  _can_  do this Chloe. I know it seems overwhelming and difficult and long… but we  _can_  do this. I need you to believe in me."

Chloe receded back into her own thoughts.  _"You said it yourself yesterday Price, your life has always been a race towards death. If I have to die someday then why not have it be alongside these two in the heat of a battle that means something rather than alone in a meadow at the hands of some witch. Rachel always told me we should always accept contracts only if we found that it helped others."_  Chloe felt the familiar hurt that came with thoughts of her old partner and looked to the witch's deep blue eyes.

"I do believe in you Max. I told you yesterday I was in and I meant it. I won't leave you until we take down Prescott and win." Chloe forced out a confident smile that she hoped fooled the witch.  _"I'll see you soon dad, I hope you're proud of me for this. I'll die just like you did, trying to save others"_  she added in her thoughts.

* * *

The conversation had gone on for an hour in a lighter tone and it had been agreed unanimously that Victoria would be the one to head to the village up north. "We need supplies badly. Food, water, new clothing and we also need to restock on weapons for you two. Four daggers, a short bow and some arrows should cover it. Getting three horses would make our lives much better as well as some basic camping items." Max listed off some things while looking deep in thought towards nowhere in particular. "How much gold do we have as a group?" The witch reached to her belt and inside her cloak for two small coin pouches she then placed on her lap. "I mostly only have silver coins and a few gold. I'm not very wealthy" she added in a timid voice.

"I'm surprised you even have any money to be honest" Victoria stated out loud. "I swear I never even saw you spend a copper for anything that wasn't food." Victoria managed much better herself, she pulled out a large and heavy bag of coins from under the fake bottom of her quiver and two smaller yet still large coin purses from the inside of her cloak. All three coin pouches had been wrapped tightly in fabric so it wouldn't cause any noise when moving. Chloe reached into her bag of broadhead bolts for the two large pouches of gold coins Victoria had helped take back from her chest in the Silver Sword. She followed it up by reaching into her cloak's hidden pocket and producing a modest coin purse along with the heavy golden necklace she had acquired a few days past. It was in pristine condition with the large golden oval the size of her palm that showed the image of a raven in flight startled by a bolt of lightning.

"I've got a lot of gold coins from a job I took just before coming into Beorf, I spent a decent portion on my equipment a few days back but I still have a large sum of it left." Chloe handed over the bags of coin to Max and she looked over the necklace in her hand. "This here should also fetch us a pretty sum of coin, its pure gold and the design is unlike any I've seen. We might be able to trade it for a decent horse in the village or for a good sum to a fencer in the area." The hunter glanced away from the necklace and was stunned by the look of pure sadness on Max's face.

"Where did you get that?" Max's voice was strained and her gaze was locked into the image that graced the top of the golden oval. Chloe was puzzled by the reaction from the witch towards the simple piece of jewelry.

"That job I mentioned just a second ago. The person who put out the contract wanted this as proof of termination. He told me I could keep it after I showed it to him." The hunter felt awkward to say the least. Victoria had strolled away a bit further away when she had seen the necklace and Max still looked on the verge of breaking down. "Max, wh..?" She cut off when the witch reached under her shirt at the opening near her neck and pulled on a gold chain. The heavy chain connected to a golden oval. It was an exact copy of the one the hunter was holding currently, even down to the image of the raven and lightning.

"Who was your target?" The witch was looking down at her hands and the necklace in it. That question made Chloe connect the dots and she stayed quiet out of worry of pushing the witch straight over the edge. A couple of tears escaped the witch after a few long silent moments and she sniffed loudly. Max visibly composed herself and looked back up the hunter with a sad expression. "I guess that answers that."

"Max. I'm so sorry. I didn't kn…" She was cut off by the witch.

"I was worried about her for the last couple of days. She was supposed to meet Vic and I in the city the day you arrived and I just assumed that once she heard of the Blue Hunter that she had turned back to go hide once again. She'd always been very paranoid after Arcadia. I'm sure that's why she always avoided towns. Last time I visited her she had even hired some cheap guards for protection from Prescott's hunters. I always told her that it wouldn't make a difference but I guess it brought her peace of mind." Max reached out her hand and Chloe gave her the piece of jewelry she was holding. "These were our coven's sigil, all seven of us had one of these. There's no way you might've…" she started to ask with a bit of hope in her voice.

"I never miss." Chloe looked to the witch apologetically. Max nodded and stood up from the log. "I'm so…"

"I don't blame you. This happened before we met and I know you've more than enough reasons to have wanted a witch dead." Max wiped her nose on her cloak and looked to Victoria sitting further away out of earshot. "Tell her to go to the village, we shouldn't delay our plans more than we have to. I'm going to go for a walk." Chloe looked down to the ground. To say she felt guilty was a major underestimation. She had killed the last surviving witch of Max's coven. "We'll talk about this later when it's not so fresh." With that, Max walked off into the forest.


	12. The Remaining Few

Night had descended over the camp a few hours back and the lone hunter sat on a log near the small fire encircled by stones. She had spent the better part of the day beating herself up for what she had discovered earlier. They had barely started their arduous campaign to take down the High Lord Prescott and Chloe had already set them back by assassinating an ally. She hadn't known the full picture back then obviously but a part of her was saying that she should've looked to why the contract had targeted Courtney, that if she had known the reason then she might have stopped. The other part of her knew it wouldn't had mattered anyways, she had never needed a reason to kill a witch before and she would have sent her bolt hurling towards the target without a second thought. She looked to her left a bit further away to a shape leaning on the ground next to a tree. Max had returned an hour or so ago from her walk and had sat down in silence far away from the fire. Chloe could barely make out her shape in the darkness and she had refrained from approaching the witch. Despite Max's earlier assurances that she wasn't to blame for something she did before meeting them, she couldn't stop herself from feeling a deep sense of regret.  _"That's the last time I take on a contract for the sake of coin. I'm no longer a neutral hunter after tonight. I'll take on contracts that I believe in and make sure the people I kill deserve it. Bloody hell, I was even going to kill Max."_ This wasn't the first time today that the hunter had repeated those thoughts in her head. It was long overdue. She had started her career as a neutral hunter because it was the quickest way to grow a reputation and had kept it up because it made for more contracts and better coin. She had murdered guilty and innocent alike for the better part of her six years as a hunter. Rachel had put a stop to that for the time they had been traveling together but Chloe had spiraled into a dark place and quickly gone back to her old ways after her partner's sudden death. She couldn't justify it anymore however, recent events had made that very clear in her mind.  _"No more innocents will die at this hunter's hands."_

"Boo!" A noise right beside her ear startled the introspective hunter and she slipped off the log and landed hard onto her back on the ground behind it. Laughter erupted from where the noise had been and Chloe groaned as she got up and rubbed at the spots where small rocks and sticks had awkwardly met her back. She looked up to see Max with a red face trying hard to stifle her laughter in her hands. She was failing miserably in that specific endeavor. Despite herself, Chloe couldn't help but crack a smile towards the witch.  _"At least she doesn't seem to hate me. Maybe she really did mean what she said."_ The witch finally managed to settle down and she looked at the hunter with a wicked grin.

"Do I get a prize for being able to sneak up on a hunter of your caliber?" Max asked as she sat on the log. She seemed in a much better mood.  _"Maybe she really did just need some time to process everything"_ the hunter thought.

"You cheated. I wasn't paying attention. You would never be able to sneak up on me in the field Max." Chloe puffed her chest out in a mocking impression of an overly confident lord. Max laughed again and gave the hunter a mischievous look.

"Is that a challenge?"

"A challenge usually implies you stand a chance at success however minuscule. Nobody can take the Blue Hunter by surprise when she's alert." Chloe sat down next to the witch and bumped her shoulder in an affectionate manner with her own. "Hey… are we alright?" The question came out softly and Chloe cursed under her breath for how vulnerable it had come out. Max's smile disappeared and she shifted herself closer to the hunter.

"Yes, we're alright. Don't get me wrong, it bloody sucks that everything went down the way it did. I was counting on her as an ally and while we weren't the closest of friends, she was someone I cared for and could count on. But it's not fair to hold you accountable for doing what a hunter does. You had no way of knowing and no reason to care to learn. The fact that you stood by me to help me escape that city and decided to help me on my insane mission facing overwhelming odds says so much more about what kind of person you are. All you need is someone who can help keep you on the right path." The loud rhythmic sound of hooves stomping on the ground made both women stand up quickly.

"It could be Victoria coming back from the village" Max said carefully.

"It could also be another band of executioners sent by the Raven Knight to finish what he started." Chloe unslung her crossbow and loaded a broadhead bolt into it. Max looked to the fire and lifted her left hand towards it. The fire suddenly burnt out and a black torrent of inky smoke poured from her fingertips to form a transparent black bubble that surrounded the fire and the two women. Its diameter was roughly eight feet across and it stood a head taller than the hunter herself. "What the bloo..?"

"Quiet" Max covered the hunter's mouth with her left hand then removed it and pointed towards the distance. A figure mounted atop a horse was speeding its way towards the campfire. As the figure came closer, Chloe could make out Victoria on a brown horse with a bulging pack saddle. More voices followed behind the speeding hunter and it became clear that she was fleeing. Stopping the animal hard at the log that laid just barely outside the black transparent dome, Victoria swung off the saddle and looked with a crazed expression at the surrounding area. Chloe waved her over to get her attention but the other hunter's head swiveled hard in every direction as the voices in the distance were closing in.

" _ARE YOU BLOODY KIDDING ME?! THEY LEFT ME BEHIND? I'LL HUNT THEM DOWN AND BEAT THEM SENSELESS IF IT'S THE LAST BLOODY THING I DO!"_ Victoria had moved back to the horse and was about to swing on its back once more when Chloe shouted back at her harshly.

"Leave you behind?! Open your eyes wider you blind oaf, we're standing right in front of you." The sentence made Victoria freeze with her leg in the air as she whipped her head back towards the sound. Her eyes glanced right through the both of them without stopping and continued to try to pinpoint the voice's location. She seemed completely lost until Max moved towards her and grabbed her hand to pull her inside the black transparent dome. Once Victoria was dragged in, her eyes bulged and she looked at her companions in awe.

"How..?"

"Quiet." Once again Max found herself with a hand over a mouth as she silenced Victoria roughly. The other people had finally caught up and were headed for the horse who was still standing by the log. The two hunters both silently ducked to the floor and sneaked behind whatever cover they could find while Max still stood straight and looked at the approaching shapes with interest. With the fire extinguished, it was almost impossible to see more than ten feet in front of herself. The tall trees stopped the small amount of light offered by a cloud covered moon from reaching the floor. Chloe tried to gesture for the witch to get down but it was a fruitless effort since the witch pointedly ignored her while staring at her own raised left hand. Beads of sweat had begun to form on Max's forehead and she was breathing silently yet with an uneven beat. Nine large figures in armor got off of nine tall black warhorses and began to unsheathe their weapons. Eight of the shapes looked to be holding a combination of long swords, short swords and iron bucklers while the last remaining man in the middle appeared to be holding the handle of a large double sided axe. As they came closer, she could make out that they all bore the sigil of the Raven Knight on the right shoulder of their crimson armor. It was a black raven with its beak open to the sky and its wings opened wide. Chloe instantly pegged the man with the axe to be the leader of the group. He did a few silent gestures with his free hand and the men dispersed and slowly crept around the trees in the area near the abandoned horse. Multiple men looked straight through the group of three.  _"What did she do? They don't seem to see us. From this distance, even in this darkness they should be able to spot at least Max's shape."_  One of the men was heading towards the campfire, his eyes were constantly on the move. Chloe stood slowly and lifted her crossbow silently towards the eye slit of the man who was closest, he was now barely a foot away from breaching into the dome. He kept creeping up slowly while taking in his surroundings and the crossbow's tip was now inches from his helmeted face. Chloe held her breath for fear of giving away her position and she started to apply some pressure to the trigger.  _"Please stop. There's nothing here to see."_ She noticed from the corner of her eyes that Slither had silently taken up two sturdy daggers in her hands and was eyeing another man with two short swords who was approaching from the other side.  _"One more step…"_ Max had gently fallen to one knee behind her and was struggling hard to breathe quietly. She looked like she was under an extreme amount of pressure, like a weight was pushing her down towards the ground.

"Over here!" The men in front of both Chloe and Victoria whirled in one motion towards the voice of the leader who was crouched near the ground further away. His dark shape seemed to be looking at a trail in the ground roughly where she remembered Max had walked earlier. Both men turned to walk away to join back up with their fellow executioners and Chloe let out the breath she was holding in steadily. Then Max groaned in pain and the misty black dome vanished. The noise made the man in front of Chloe whip back around and his eyes widened in shock at seeing three women seemingly appear out of nowhere. Chloe didn't hesitate. The  _SNAP_  of the crossbow was followed by the metallic sound of the bolt tearing through the small eye slit, burrowing its way through the man's skull and exiting the back of his helmet. A dark spray of blood erupted from the impact and flew in an arc as the dead man's helmet whipped back from the impact of the bolt. He crumpled to the ground in a loud clang of armor. Chloe looked to her left and saw the second man on his knees and holding on to his throat with his crimson gauntlets as blood poured from a wide slit in his neck. Victoria kicked him hard in the chest and ran towards the nearest tree to give herself cover. Chloe turned and grabbed Max forcefully. She all but dragged the groggy witch to a bush and shoved her into it.

"Chl…"

"Stay there and don't make a noise" she whispered. Turning before she could even confirm that Max had heard her, Chloe stealthily crept on her belly towards a nearby dip in the ground. She couldn't hear the other seven executioners and that made her more worried than if they were shouting with all their strength. It was clear that this battle would be fought in the darkness and nobody wanted to make the first noise. The hunter breathed in slowly and reaching for her bag of bolts, she counted seven by feel with her fingers. Taking one out and loading it very slowly was a challenge as any sudden movement would alert the others to her presence. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears and it seemed to drown out any ambient noise. A small twig snapped behind her near where she had left Max and the hunter turned on her back noisily while pointing her crossbow to the dark shape. She couldn't tell who it for certain and she hesitated to fire out of fear of hitting Max. That was a mistake. The figure brought down its long sword in stabbing motion towards the ground at her chest. Another slimmer figure tackled the first before the sword could fall upon her and she heard a short scuffle ending with gargling noises.  _"Thanks for watching my back Slither."_ The sound had attracted the attention of more men and Chloe stayed still as she tried to form a mental map of their positions based on her hearing alone. She felt at the ground and threw a small pebble towards to her right. The noise of the pebble was followed by a very slight scrape of a metal boot shifting on the dirt and Chloe shot blindly towards the noise. She heard her bolt connecting with armor and a man screamed in pain. Rushing towards the scream, she reached for the handle of her short enchanted blade and pulled it out of its sheathe. She pushed herself against a nearby tree and heard the faint whimper of the man. The hunter placed the blade behind her left leg and pressed against the tree to avoid being spotted by the faint green glow the blade emanated. She didn't want the man dead yet, she could use him to attract the others. Her head whipped back towards where she had been moments ago and she heard the clang of armor hitting a tree. It was followed by the sound of a blade stabbing through skin multiple times and then quiet took over the forest again.  _"Four dead, one injured."_ She could hear the injured man on the other side of her tree, he was breathing hard. Reaching around, she grabbed him by the helmet and kicked him hard in the groin and neck a few times. He yelled out in pain and started to gasp for air. Leaving him behind once more, she laid a few feet back on the dirt with her blade between her belly and the ground. The only noise breaking the still silence was the executioner's moans. She heard a man approach very slowly and she saw his shape bend down by his fallen friend. She leapt towards the shape and swung her blade hard towards his helmet. The blade cut straight through the helmet and separated the man's face horizontally above his nostrils. His body fell in a thump and she cut the moaning man's head clean off.  _"Three le…"_  A metal boot connected with the side of her right knee and she yelled out in pain as she heard it shatter in a loud unnatural crack. She fell on her knees with another scream and stabbed behind her blindly with her blade. She lost the grip on her blade but a groan behind her told the hunter she had connected with a part of the executioner. She heard him stumble back a pace and an object flew over her head to connect with his throat. Slither yelled out in pain in the direction where the dagger was thrown and Chloe hobbled on one leg as fast as she could and built up enough speed to throw herself at a shape standing over her fellow hunter. She collided with the shape as hard as she could and all three bodies tumbled to the ground. Feeling for anything she could use as a weapon, her hand closed around a palm sized rock and she raised it towards the man's helmetless face. A fist crashed into the side of her head and she lost the rock in a daze. The last executioner finally joined the fray and she saw him blearily heave his two sided axe up and down towards Slither. She tried to roll away to the side but failed to do so fast enough and the axe connected with her left hand. Chloe was still busy grappling with the man under her and she managed to get the rock once again in her grasp. She slammed it down over and over onto the man's naked face until he stopped thrashing and then she threw herself to the side just in time to avoid having the giant axe connect with her back. The bloody rock slipped from her grip and she crawled on her back away from the approaching executioner. A large lightning bolt burned her retinas as it flashed in the dark night and crashed with thunderous noise over the last executioner's body. The hunter blinked hard to get the stinging and the spots out of her eyes. The body crumpled in a heap and Chloe could smell burning flesh to her left. A bush suddenly caught fire and lit the small encampment littered with bodies. Max stumbled towards Victoria and bent down to examine her wounds.

"How bad is it?" Chloe reached the two women and saw Victoria clutching her bloody left hand.

"He cut off two of my bloody fingers with his bloody axe!" She let go long enough for Max to look it over. Victoria's left hand was now missing its ring finger and little finger. "Can you heal it quickly?" She used her right hand to frantically grab at the two slim fingers from where they rested on the ground.

"I can't heal that Vic." Max seemed horrified and she pushed Victoria's hand away. "Once something is cut off like that, it's gone. I can heal the wounds closed but nothing I can do will give you back those fingers."

"ARRRRRRR!" Victoria let out a strong frustrated yell towards the sky and looked back to Max with a fierce expression. "Fine. Heal it closed. I guess I'll find a way to bloody adapt to losing two of my goddamn fingers. I swear when I get my hands on that bloody Raven Knight, I'll cut off every one of his bloody fingers one by one and feed it to him."

"What happened in the village Vic?" Chloe finally joined the conversation as Max started the healing process.

"Everything was going bloody great. I managed to buy us a new set of clothing, weapons, supplies and I even got us a damn horse using only half the coin we had for the whole of it. So I figured I owed myself a drink for my successful venture. I walked in the damn tavern and those bloody executioners were sitting at a table near the door. I guess they were the ones that managed to survive Beorf and they must've ridden into the village on the way back to Arcadia. I bolted out of there and took off on my horse and they were right on my tail. Only reason I managed to get a bit of distance between their warhorse and my mount was because they weight twice what I do when they have their armor on." Victoria ran her now healed left hand in her short hair and grimaced at the feeling. She pulled down her hand and looked with fury towards her remaining three fingers. "I came up on the campsite and you know the rest. What the hell did you even do Max. What was that black dome? And why didn't you hold on to it just a bit longer? They were about to leave." Max looked to the floor in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry Vic. I'm not very powerful with illusions, that was a very basic spell to make us invisible but I'm not strong enough in that area to hold it for very long. I was struggling after only a couple minutes and my head felt like it was going to explode. I held it as long as possible before I collapsed and I couldn't even concentrate on anything else for the next few minutes. Everything was fuzzy and I only snapped out of it when you guys were fighting the last executioner." Max moved to Chloe and the hunter pointed to her knee. The witch placed her left hand over it and the numbness took over. Chloe was horrified however at the spectacle in front of her. She could feel and see her shattered bones move under her skin and realign in their proper positions. The moving bumps in her leg made her think of insects crawling inside her leg. Feeling suddenly sick, Chloe moved to the side before throwing up the contents of her stomach.

She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and recoiled at the wetness of it. Her whole arm was covered in blood from the executioner she had killed with a rock. She looked over the area that was now only dimly lit by the waning fire Max had created and saw the mangled corpses littered around the campsite. "At least we have the supplies we need and our choice of the best three horses those men rode up on." Victoria scowled at that. "Just trying to see the positive side of things" she answered back quickly with her hands raised defensively. That seemed to make Victoria even angrier when her eyes locked onto Chloe's hands. "If it makes you feel any better, at least you don't have a giant blue glowing scar carved across your face." Chloe grinned when Victoria finally let a smirk leak through.

"I guess you're right at that. I'd take this any day over having my face damaged." She laughed playfully at the jab and even Chloe let out a chuckle.

"I think the scar adds character." Max spoke up in defense of the hunter.

"Thanks Max, glad to know you got my back." Chloe smiled towards the witch and started to wander back towards where she had lost her enchanted blade. "Time to pack up, I'm not sleeping in this shithole tonight. Tomorrow we can get cleaned up and then we'll make our way to the City of Draqt. I have a few contacts there who are always looking to employ hunters and it would be a good start to refilling our coffers."

"We can't take the main roads." It was stated matter-of-factly by Victoria who had stood up herself to remove her new dagger from one of the executioner's throats. Max took a hold of the brown horse with the filled pack saddle and tried to guide him with the bridle.

"That'll slow us down a bit but I think your right, we need to avoid running into anymore conflicts." Max spoke as she brushed the mount's mane and tried to calm him down. The lightning had shaken up the horse quite a bit. "We're looking into five or six day's ride to get to Draqt. If we head north through this forest we should reach it pretty quickly, the roads would only save us a day or two of travel. So we're all agreed on our next move?" The ascent of the two hunters came in the form of couple short nods and the three women headed off deeper into the forest to setup camp anew.


	13. The Road To Draqt

A grunt of pain escaped Chloe's lips as a boot connected hard with the inside of her left knee. It buckled under her and she rolled into the momentum and gave herself a few feet's distance from her enemy. She was bleeding lightly from fresh wounds on her right thigh and left wrist. Moving in a semi-circle and keeping her eyes locked on the other combatant's movement, Chloe switched her grip on her right dagger so that the blade was pointing to her right, away from her body. She jabbed with her left dagger towards her foe's torso to make her stumble back then ducked down under a blow to sweep her enemy's left leg. She pressed the advantage when the opponent tripped from the contact. Chloe parried a strike with her right dagger while slicing the foe's belly with her left. She received another kick to the stomach that made her lose her breath and she took some distance while her opponent scrambled up. Her eyes squinted in concentration and she smiled to taunt the injured foe.  _"Left."_  She predicted it correctly as the figure struck with her right dagger towards her face which was deflected easily with her own. The foe used the distraction to move in close and went for the real blow with the left dagger. Chloe smirked absentmindedly as she used the hilt of her own right dagger to hit her opponent's hand away. Her foe's dagger flew out of her hand to fall a few feet to the right and Chloe took Victoria down with a hard punch to the bleeding abdomen followed by bringing down the hilt of her dagger hard onto the top of her head with a crack.

"Chloe what the bloody hell?!" Max ran in between the two sparring hunters and gave Chloe a disapproving glare as she started to heal Victoria using her good hand. Max's right arm was in a sling made of materials Victoria had bought in the village and it had finally started to show a bit of progress towards healing. A combination of herbs and salves applied over the past few days had done wonders towards getting it back to how it used to be. At this rate, the witch's arm would be fully healed by next week's end. "This is the last time I'm doing this." Max said angrily. Once healed, she glared at the fallen hunter who was now getting back up on her feet. "This is so wrong on so many levels. You stab and beat each other up with no regards for safety because you can rely on me for healing. Well I'm fed up of it."

"Max, we know what we're doing…"

"Yesterday Victoria stabbed the full hilt of her bloody dagger into your left leg!" Max stared at between the hunters with fury. "That's twelve inches of damn steel that cut right through a major artery. You could've bled out in barely a minute! Then earlier this morning you cracked her over the skull with a stone you grabbed off the ground! She crumpled to the ground unconscious! I AM DONE PARTICIPATING IN THIS FOOLISHNESS!" The witch's tone had elevated with each sentence and she just now seemed to realize that she was yelling at them both. Taking a deep breath and visibly composing herself took a few long moments. "If you insist on sparring, be more careful to not severely injure each other. Do  _not_  rely on my healing because you will  _not_  get it."

The witch turned and left no room for arguing as she walked with a brisk pace towards the camp a good forty yards away. Chloe moved closer to Victoria and they both looked towards the witch's back. This had become the norm for the past few days for the two hunters. Five full sunsets had passed since the night where they had faced the executioners once again. Every morning since the first, Chloe and Victoria would spar until noon then they would all travel towards Draqt until nightfall. The idea to practice fighting each other had come from Victoria herself in order to get used to battle with her injured left hand. She had wanted to test how much it affected her and whether or not she could overcome it and adapt. The sessions were painful to say the least and required Max's constant vigilance to make sure neither would accidentally kill the other. Chloe had never been a close range fighter but she was far above the average. If it ever came to defending herself with her daggers, the hunter could take down multiple average enemies or a couple of very skilled ones but not without escaping unscathed herself. Slither had always been on another level, she had made her name as a close range hunter and she should have been able to win nine out of ten bouts against someone of Chloe's skill level. However, both women had won an equal amount of times since they had started sparring.

"Think she means it?" Chloe pondered Victoria's question for a moment.

"Nah, you know how she is. All bark and no bite, if we really get hurt I'm sure she'll come running." Max turned back and locked her furious gaze with Chloe. "I hope…" Victoria moved back to grab her dagger from the ground where it lay. "You need to stop trying to attack me like you used to. Your grip is weak on your left and it makes it very easy to parry or disarm you."

"I almost killed you using only my right hand the very first time we met in Beorf."

"First off, I was injured badly. You put an arrow pretty much right through my left knee that night. That sort of cut down my mobility wouldn't you agree?"

"I was injured as well, you pelted me with bolts in my side and hand. The only reason you managed to escape was because of those little glass balls that blinded me."

"They're called blinders" she responded without thinking. "That's beside the point anyway. What I really mean to point out is that you were dominating the fight without the use of one of your hands  _because_  you weren't using it. You keep trying to fight me as if you having lost two fingers means nothing and it's putting you in bad situations when I use it to my advantage."

"So what? You want me to fight as if I lost my whole hand? That's ridiculous!"

"Fighting as if you have one hand still makes you much better than most, like you said, you almost beat me using only your right hand." Chloe raised her own hand to cut Victoria off before she could respond. "I don't mean it as a permanent solution Vic. Just temporary. At least fighting with one hand means you won't be putting yourself in a position to be parried and run through. You might have to be become a more defensive fighter than aggressive but for now it's your best option."

"I… can see your point. I don't like it but I don't have much of a choice." Victoria kicked at a tuft of grass on the ground lightly. "You say temporarily. What would you have me do then? Take up a shield?" She laughed bitterly.

"You'd have the same problem as with the dagger but the idea is sort of what I was going for. My honest opinion? Your style is based around stealth and chances are that you'll almost always have the element of surprise when you go do a contract. That means you can easily work around your injury but on the off chance that you end up confronting someone prepared for you then you'll need something to give you upper hand." Chloe looked at Victoria's left hand, there was smooth skin where her two fingers had been cut at the knuckles. "I'm not sure about what you can do yet. Something like a jolt gauntlet or a mechanical wrist fan shield is what I'm thinking, basically replacing your left dagger for a weapon that doesn't require much dexterity to use or for a protective surface to cover your side. Max said she had a contact that knew weapons like the back of his hand so he might have better ideas then mine."

"A jolt gauntlet?" Victoria seemed to consider the idea carefully. "I'd have to turn down protective surfaces though. I don't like defensive battle styles, I like to kill quickly and defensive styles usually prolong the fight just long enough for your foes to get some backup. I think you're right as far as weapons go. A jolt gauntlet would be amazing but those are insanely rare and the only way I could get one would probably be to kill its previous owner. That would be difficult to do. Another weapon that is just as deadly and preferably silent would be just as useful. Max's contact will hopefully be able to think of something that fits the bill." She let out a soft sigh. "Until we meet him it's probably for the best that I fight with only one dagger. Take away the temptation to strike with my left y'know?" Chloe nodded silently and rolled her shoulders. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Chloe moved to the center of the clearing and unsheathed her daggers. Victoria threw away her left one blindly behind her and moved to stand a good ten paces in front of the other hunter with her right hand holding the short blade poised in front of her face.

"DON'T. YOU. DARE!" The witch's angry distant voice carried from where she had been feeding the horses. "I WILL  _NOT_  HEAL YOU!" Victoria cocked an eyebrow at the blue-scarred hunter in an unspoken question.

"She's bluffing." Chloe replied as she started to square up on her opponent. "She's too nice to follow through on that threat." She grinned and leapt closer with a swing aimed at the other hunter's left side.

* * *

The day's ride towards Draqt had been anything but pleasant for the Blue Hunter. She grimaced with every step her horse took as pain shot through her side and arm. True to her word, Max had refused to heal either hunter and left them to wrap up their wounds before the long trek. Her left side had a six inch cut across it and her right arm was swollen at the shoulder from where she had absorbed a hard blow. Victoria had been no better off at the start of the journey, she had at least ten small cuts littered over her upper body and her knee had been severely bruised. An hour into the ride, she had promised to Max not to spar anymore and the witch had healed her wounds.  _"Bloody hunters are supposed to stick together!"_  Max turned her head to look at the hunter and Chloe did her best to muster up a smile like she was enjoying a peaceful excursion in the woods.  _"I will not give her the satisfaction."_ The witch grinned back like she could see right through the false mask.

"How are you feeling?" The smile Max had on grew even bigger and Chloe gritted her teeth to stop from scowling when her horse turned a bit to go around a pile of sticks.

"I'm feeling great. Never better." As if to prove her point, Chloe sat with her back straight and she removed her hand from where it had been resting under her cloak and over her wound. She held on to the bridle with both hands. "Nothing quite like fresh air to… You bloody horse! Will you walk steady for once in your life?!" Chloe quickly move her hand back under her cloak as pain shot into her side when the horse she rode turned abruptly to avoid a pile of rocks littered on the ground. Laughter erupted from the witch and Max moved her own horse closer to Chloe's.

"You are so mule headed. Just admit you were in the wrong and promise to be done with the sparring. Victoria already did it, there's no point in holding out unless you plan on fighting a tree." The witch reached out to take Chloe's bridle and stopped both their horses. Victoria looked back and kept moving forward. Max looked over the hunter with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"Fine" Chloe grumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"I said fine" the hunter replied in a normal volume. Max leaned over to touch her side and Chloe breathed in deeply at the comforting numbness that overtook her. After a moment, she rolled her shoulder and felt at her side for any lingering pain and was pleased when she didn't find any. "Thanks."

"We're right at the edge of the City of Draqt and I couldn't stand to let my favorite hunter suffer for much longer" she replied with a smile and a mischievous wink. With that, she used her knees to make the horse move forward and took off at a steady pace to catch up with Victoria up ahead. Grinning like a fool, Chloe started her own horse forward and galloped after the two women.

* * *

Unlike Beorf, Chloe managed to enter the city without any fuss. She had been here many times before and she was a favorite of the guards ever since a contract of hers had ended with the hunter saving the daughter of one of their own. She had tracked down and killed a man who was abducting children in the city and found a terrified little girl tied up in the man's basement. Upon fulfilling her contract, the guards had all pooled together a large sum to add on to the reward and thanked her for her service. As she rode into the gate with her blue scar shining under the sun, the three guards on the wall made a show of putting their right gauntlet to their left shoulder as a sign of respect. Max and Victoria had been taken aback by the friendly reception and she had told them the tale as they rode towards their destination. The City of Draqt wasn't a big city if you compared it to most, it stood roughly at half the size of Beorf and was probably in contention for the smallest in the country. It had a homely feel to it however and the population behaved more like a collection of small villages rather than a city. Small communities had grown and split off in sections instead of being a mass of convoluted stores and houses. A good example was that if you wanted food, lodging or entertainment then you went to the north east corner of the city where you could find inns, butchers, farmers, gleemen, jugglers and the likes of those. Chloe and the other two women were headed to the south east corner that was known widely as the business corner of the city. It was by far the largest of the communities and the most populated during the day. Various stores for goods and services were scattered around the area ranging from blacksmiths to peddlers and black market fencers. There were multiple lesser known taverns where most could conduct shady deals or hire hunters in private. One such tavern was  _The Chemist's Brew._ Chloe was very familiar with establishment and had accepted most of her contracts in the City of Draqt from the tavern's owner herself. Michelle Grant was a heavy set, dark skinned woman dressed usually in bright colors with short dark brown hair that just failed to reach her shoulders. Much like Lord Frederick had done in Beorf, Ms. Grant acted as a middle man between the people of Draqt and hunters who came looking for work. Finally arriving at the entrance of The Chemist's Brew, the trio hopped off their horses and went to the attached stable where they offered coin to the man in charge in exchange for holding onto and caring for their mounts.

"If you don't mind, I'll stay outside until you two finish your business." Victoria spoke while looking towards the tavern's sign hanging over the entrance. It depicted a man with crazed white hair and big spectacles mixing the contents of two glass beakers into a large bubbling mug of ale.

"What? Wouldn't you rather get in and sit down at least? You don't have to speak if you don't want to." Chloe looked over the woman who was now shifting uncomfortably with a puzzled glance.

"I have a bad history with the tavern's owner. She… Well, she told me she would have me killed the instant I set foot in her building again." Max's eyes widened in shock while Chloe just looked at her fellow hunter with a smug expression.

"What the bloody hell did you do to her? She's one of the most passive women I've ever spoken to, I can't even crush a spider under my thumb without receiving a disapproving look from her."

"A story for another time Blue. I'm going to go wander off to find a black market fencer. I want to see if I can find a proper replacement for my dagger. Maybe I'll get lucky and find another elven made enchanted poisoned dagger. Seems unlikely and a bit of a long shot but it'll kill some time until you both are done. Anything you want me to find for you Blue?" Chloe reached behind her back to the hanging pouch and pulled out one of her last six blue streaked broadhead bolts.

"If you pass  _The Hunter's Delight_ make sure to enter and ask the man behind the counter to make another batch of bolts for me. Two dozen should do, hand him this one and say you were sent by the Blue Hunter, they're custom made and I don't want to get stiffed in quality. He knows me and I usually manage to get a good discount on bulk orders. They should be done in a couple days so we can pick them up on the way out of the city." Victoria nodded and reached over to grab the bolt from her hand. She turned and walked the opposite way from the tavern. "What about you Max? Do you want to wander around as well? I can handle contract negotiations by myself."

"I'd actually like to see how hunters conduct business and I don't have much to do in this city. I've never actually been here so I'd like to stick by you if that's alright." Chloe opened the door to the tavern with her left hand and bowed towards the witch in a grandiose fashion.

"After you." Max shook her head exasperatedly with a smile and entered The Chemist's Brew followed by a laughing Chloe.


	14. The Chemist's Brew

The Chemist's Brew was exactly the same as Chloe remembered it to be. The bar and kitchen behind it were located as far as possible from the door, tables and chairs were spread out around the floor in uneven patterns and separated by quite a bit of space. Much like The Silver Sword, the main business of the tavern was to offer a safe space to conduct private and sensitive meetings. It was dimly lit by a few oil lamps attached sporadically on the walls and smelled strongly of ale and liquor. A few of its patrons stopped conversing and glanced at the pair of women when they entered. Quite a few gave the hunter a nod of acknowledgement. She had accepted many contracts in the City of Draqt over the length of her career and most knew her from the tales that inevitably spread around after she fulfilled them. She could feel her scar glowing faintly in the oil lamp's light radius and she gestured at Max to head forwards towards the bar. Chloe could see from here the person she wanted to talk with. Following after the uneasy witch, Chloe put her arm around Max's shoulder and guided her around the many tables.

"Price! It's been a long time, far too long if you ask me." Chloe removed herself from Max and they both took a seat on the barstools closest to the left corner. The hunter wanted to make sure her conversation wouldn't be overheard and the area she had chosen to settle down at clearly reflected her mindset. Smiling warmly towards the older woman, Chloe gestured for her to come a bit closer.

"Far too long" she agreed. Chloe looked over to the witch beside her and introduced her companion. "Max, this is Michelle Grant, the owner of the best tavern for hunters this side of the border. Michelle, this is Max Caulfield, the most enchanting woman I've ever travelled with." Chloe smirked at her own private pun and burst out laughing when a red-faced Max punched her hard squarely in the left shoulder.

"A pleasure." Michelle extended her hand and shook Max's in greeting. "I've never seen Chloe travelling with anyone before. You must be quite the woman to be able to make her renounce her lone wolf attitude."

"It's hard to refuse her. She just has a way of making people fall under her spell." The hunter interjected with a laugh which caused the witch's face to redden even more. Max turned away from her and looked towards the wall behind the counter.

"I don't know how I manage to put up with you." Max's response got a hearty chuckle out of Michelle and an exaggerated offended look from Chloe.

"So, pleasantries asides, what brings you back to my little corner of the world? Are you looking for more work? I could use someone with your set of skills to take on a couple of the tougher contracts I'm holding on to. I've sent a few hunters out and none have come back to collect payment. I gather they're probably worm food by now." Michelle moved to grab a couple of mugs and cocked her eyebrow in a silent question. Max shook her head to refuse but Chloe gestured with her fingers for two.

"Come on Max, you gotta cut loose here and there. We've had a hard couple of weeks and I think the fact that we are still in one piece should be more than enough reason to celebrate with a drink." Michelle pushed the two full mugs towards them both and Chloe held hers a few inches above the counter expectantly. Sighing in resignation, Max clinked her mug against the hunters and both tilted it back to drink a large portion. Max grimaced at the taste and set hers down while the hunter polished hers off completely. Gesturing for another, the hunter let out a loud burp that made a few heads turn.

"So?" Michelle filled the mug a second time and stared at the hunter with scrutiny.

"You guessed it right the first time Michelle. I'm here to take on a few contracts and collect some much needed gold. The bigger the payout, the more interested I'll be so don't bother mentioning any small time stuff. I'll leave that for the up and comers. I want the best you have." Max glanced over at the hunter who had taken on a more serious attitude. When talking contracts with a client, Chloe always dropped any friendliness. It was one of the many things that separated the amateur and professional. Michelle leaned in.

"The best I can offer right now is going for one hundred and fifty gold coins. The contract has been up in the air for almost three months now and none have come close to collecting payment. Not from lack of trying mind you, just that a normal hunter isn't skilled enough for this job. It's been commissioned by two lords who have strong incentives to have this resolved quickly and for every failed attempt, they raise the count by ten. So far, five have failed."

"Any top tiers try and take this one on? Am I the first to it?"

"You're the first. I tried getting a hold of some of the more famous hunters by spreading word of the contract to surrounding towns but it seems that either none are interested or they're all laying low. That's why I'm glad to have you walk in today, it's been far too long since we've had a proficient hunter in Draqt." A burly man stood up with an empty mug and started to make his way to the bar but Michelle stared him down with a glare. He turned right around and sat back down on the chair from which he had stood up from moments ago. It was clear that important business was taking place and everyone in the tavern was expected to stay away until its natural conclusion.

"Talk to me about the contract. None of the bullshit given to small timers to make it more appealing. I want all the details." Chloe moved in closer herself. She was not about to have a repeat of the disaster that had been her last contract. If anything didn't seem on the up and up, she would walk out without hesitation. Michelle didn't seem perturbed at the hunter's tone and she calmly relayed what she knew.

"This isn't an easy job. First off, it's not only a hit. You're expected to collect some sensitive information that managed to be stolen. These two lords had their manors broken into and some incriminating scrolls were taken. I don't know what's on these papers but what I do know is that it must be some serious stuff. The mercenary who stole it is blackmailing them an absurd amount of coin every week in order to not reveal the contents. That's what sparked the contract, these two lords want a hunter to infiltrate the mercenary encampment and take out the leader. Once disposed of, they want the scrolls either recovered or destroyed. Proof of completion is the leader's head along with the scrolls if possible. If the evidence is destroyed, half the payment will be given and they expect a week's wait for the other half in order to confirm that nobody continues the blackmail. If nobody contacts them, they'll be satisfied that the evidence was destroyed and the payment will given in full." Max was enraptured in the conversation taking place, her eyes constantly moved in between both women and she looked deep in thought.

"What are we talking about in terms of manpower? You said encampment, I assume that means multiple enemies."

"My last reports were given to me a week ago…"

"Are they reliable?" Chloe interrupted.

"Somewhat, the seekers don't screw up on the general knowledge but you have to take the smaller details with a grain of salt. They've been known to screw up details quite a few times for me. Anyways, back to the encampment. I have multiple reports that place the numbers roughly in between twenty to twenty five. The leader is a tall man, short black hair, brown eyes, nose like a bird's beak, scraggly beard. He always dresses in his blood red shirt with thin blue lines on the shoulders. He's not a strong fella, reports actually make him out to be more like a walking twig. Apparently he's got a real temper too, only reason he's in charge is that he's the only ambitious one of the bunch. He's got some shoulder thumpers as his guard of honor, three men who look like they could fight with the best of them. No armor or weapons besides maces though, these guy are brawlers. Nobody in his band is skilled enough to wield a sword or bow, they rely on pure strength in numbers to terrorize villagers and rob peddlers."

"Location and size?"

"Somewhere east roughly two day's easy ride on horseback. You could make it in one with that warhorse of yours." Chloe's eyebrows frowned for a moment when she remembered leaving her favorite horse behind in Beorf but she didn't let anything show. It really didn't matter at this moment and there was no real need to correct the woman. "The camp is approximated to be about one hundred and fifty yards going north to south and eighty yards going east to west. The area is in the middle of a plain field but there's a small forest and tall trees bordering the east side."

"The scroll and the leader's tent?"

"The leader sleeps in the middle in his red tent, the rest are green so it should be easy to spot. It's also right next to the caged prisoners they have taken during small raids, last report said they were holding three men captive. As far as the scrolls' location… your guess is as good as mine. I figure you'll probably do your own reconnaissance on the camp anyways and I wouldn't trust the seekers with any information they gave me on the location of the scrolls. They'd most likely screw that up."

"Agreed on both counts." Chloe took a moment to process everything before she spoke up again. "I want two hundred and fifty gold coins for the leader's head and the scrolls as well as five gold for every other man I have to use a bolt on."

"That's ridiculous! Have you forgotten who you're talking to right this moment? You know the prices I'm given are fixed and don't waiver the slightest bit." Michelle looked pissed and glared harshly at the blue-scarred hunter.

"It's not personal Michelle and you know it. I'm in desperate need of coin right now for important business and it wouldn't be the first time you've negotiated on my behalf with a client. You said it yourself, no other top tier hunter is approaching this contract and others who take it on are dropping like flies. The lords are getting blackmailed for coin every week so the faster this gets resolved, the better. I want a bigger payoff for my time, it never comes cheap to hire the best and unlike normal hunters, my name fetches a premium. They want this to go away? Fine. But make sure they understand that they stand to lose a lot more than the difference in pay if I decide to walk away from this."

"This is an underhanded tactic, Price. You expect to strong arm my client for more coin based on their current predicament. It's fighting dirty."

"I'm a hunter Michelle. The only reason I'm still alive is because I fight dirty. This isn't up for discussion and chances are that the lords will be more than thrilled to have the Blue Hunter accept their contract. My name guarantees success and I have no doubt they will jump at the opportunity to have me on board regardless of the added price." Chloe took a long swig of her mug and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She stared down the tavern's owner with an unwavering expression. She knew how to negotiate contracts properly. Six years with a flawless record went a long way and she knew exactly how much more coin her name alone would add to the payment.

"I'll contact them tonight by seeker. Expect an answer within the next two days." Chloe shook the woman's extended hand. They both smiled at each other and let out a small laugh. Max seemed confused at the sudden change of attitude between the two.

"Business is just that, Max. Contract talks are done so now we can go back to being friends" Michelle explained when she noticed Max's surprised expression.

"It just seems jarring how quickly your demeanors changed throughout the last twenty minutes. There's a lot more to being a hunter and negotiating contracts than I thought there would be." Chloe ruffled the witch's hair playfully with her left hand.

"Max, I thought you knew by now that I'm more than just a pretty face. Well… a decent face with a giant blue scar running through it." The hunter took a long pull from her mug that finished off the rest of the liquid inside.

"Stop saying that." Max shook her head slightly. "There's nothing wrong with your scar. I've said it before and I meant it." The witch turned back to the tavern's owner who had been busy refilling a few patron's mugs and got her attention. Michelle finished what she was doing and headed back to the corner of the bar. "Where's the best and cheapest inn in this city? We need rooms to stay in if we're going to end up waiting around for a few days."

"Go to the north east corner and ask around for  _The Golden Gauntlet_. It's not expensive and not really frequented by travelers. There's usually at least a room unoccupied during any time of the year."

"Thank you." Max hopped off the stool and stretched her cramped limbs. She looked to the hunter who was pointing at the mug she had been nursing.

"You going to finish that?" When the witch shook her head, Chloe grabbed the mug and finished the last half of it before reaching into her cloak and pulling out a few silver coins to pay for the drinks. She dropped them on the table and added two gold coins while staring at the tavern's owner. "For helping me out once again." Michelle smiled and scooped up the coins before dropping them in a container under the bar.

"Come back soon."

* * *

It hadn't taken long to find Victoria once they had stepped out of The Chemist's Brew. The hunter's quest for another dagger had proven fruitless since she was still carrying the one she had acquired in the village on the right side of her belt. However, Victoria managed to put in the order of bolts Chloe had needed. The hunter a feeling she would require more than her six remaining bolts if she was to fight a mercenary band. They had given the stable hand more coin to keep their horses fed and lodged for a few days before finally leaving on the north road. The trek to The Golden Gauntlet took an hour more than expected mainly because they had asked for directions several times from locals after getting lost. They opened the door to the well-lit inn just as night descended outside. Chloe headed towards the innkeeper behind the counter and snagged the last room available for a few silver coins.

"You managed to get us only one room? Why not just go to another inn?"

"The innkeeper said that most others are probably full and to be honest, I really didn't feel like wandering around again until we managed to find another one." Chloe responded to Victoria with a tired voice. She yawned in the crook of her arm and blinked sleep away. "Max can grab the bed, her arm is still injured."

"Well I'm certainly not sleeping on a dirt…"

"Shhhh!" Max waved them both to silence and when Chloe turned to look at her, she noticed the witch was making her way to one of the tables on the inn's main floor. The table was attended by one tired looking man that was eating and talking to two others. "I'm sorry to interrupt but can you repeat what you just said?" She addressed herself to the bald man who was coated in a layer of sweat. Chloe guessed the man had just arrived from a long day of traveling. He glanced at Max and started talking once more.

"Yes, of course. The news hasn't made it very far yet and I'm sure I'm probably one of the first who've managed to escape the chaos. I just rode in from Beorf, took me four days hard riding to get here. Almost ran my horse into the ground but I needed to get away y'see? There's a riots raging inside the city and it's not a safe place to be. I wanted out quickly before the High Lord Prescott's men settled down everyone with force."

"Riots? What the bloody hell happened? We just left Beorf ourselves about a week past." Chloe spoke up and looked to her companions in alarm.

"The head of church, Richard Marsh… He's been killed." Chloe felt her blood turn to ice and she didn't dare look at the other two women. "His whole family's been killed. There was a huge fight between a witch, some hunters and the guards that came in from Arcadia to protect the city from bandits. They ravaged a portion of the west side and the lord in charge of the city accused Richard Marsh of helping them slaughter the guards. Nobody believed the lord of course, I mean… A man of faith helping assassins and evil witches? It was a ludicrous accusation and the people backing the church didn't believe one word of it. But then five more of those guards in red armor arrived the next day with some other lord who had a ton of sword wielding men. I'm talking about at least ten dozen men with that lord's sigil on their breastplate. The new lord claimed he had orders straight from the High Lord Prescott himself. They broke their way into church and dragged Richard and his family out into the square, said they had proof that he was guilty and that his whole family was evil."

"His family?" Max's voice was so small that it was hard to make out what she had said but the man seemed to pick up on it. The other two men moved in closer as well as quite a few of the other patrons that had overheard the man's tale. The inn was dead quiet and the man's voice could be heard clearly through the room.

"Yeah. I was there myself. They dragged the missus, his sister and his daughters out in front of the whole crowd. They kept all the people back with force and took care of 'em right there in the middle of the square." At this point, everyone in the room had come closer to hear the man's story. Not a single patron was still sitting down.

"What do you mean took care of them?" Chloe spoke up and the man looked her right in the eyes.

"The lord ordered them executed on the spot for their crimes." The crowd began buzzing, Chloe blocked it out. She looked at Max who had her left hand over her mouth and tears streaming from her eyes. "Cut off their heads one after the other until there was only the oldest daughter left. They took her fightin' and screamin' away into the main castle. Said they needed to give her over to Prescott's special interrogator. Question her about the whereabouts of the evil people her father had helped." He breathed in a shuddering breath. "The people went crazy after that. I left before I could be stuck in the middle. I saw citizens getting beaten and dragged into cells for resisting the law and the guards and lords called for a complete shutdown of the city. They posted all their men around the city and the lord's castle to stop any from getting ideas. I don't know if there's still riots going around, chances are they've all been beaten down into the dirt by now. There's…"

Chloe pulled Max and Victoria out of the increasing throng of people coming into the inn. Evidently someone had shared to others that a man in The Golden Gauntlet was talking about riots in Beorf. She guided the small witch upstairs and opened the door to their room quickly before moving aside and letting her in. She closed the door behind her after Victoria entered.

"They killed her whole family because of us." Max's voice broke the hunter's heart, it was so full of pain. Chloe moved over to the witch and held her hard while she broke down. She looked over to the other hunter and was surprised to see Victoria crying silently with an expression of pure rage on her face. "We have to go back! You heard him… She's still alive. We can save her." Max's body heaved in the hunter's arms.

"Max, we can't go back" Chloe spoke softly.

"I can't leave her! I won't!"

"Max, listen to me. They killed her whole family but brought her in for questioning. They know she's been helping us, that became clear when they told me to assassinate her. Its bait Max." They brought more soldiers and executioners, I would bet anything that the man questioning Kate is Prescott's right hand man." Max stared at Victoria in desperation.

"We can't leave her! Look at all she's done to help us. You'll come with me right?"

"Max…" The witch looked crushed when Victoria shook her head. "Chloe's right. They want to bring us all back in and finish what they started. We don't even know if Kate's still alive. They could've cut off her head the instant they close the door to the castle." Max held on to Chloe shirt harder and sobbed.

"I'll go. I'm the most expendable of us. This way if I fail at saving her or if she's dead and I get lured in…"

"No!" Max's shout cut off Chloe's voice.

"She's right Blue. If one of us is going it's going to be me." Victoria looked determined. "Max can't go, she's injured and she's the whole driving force behind our plans. I don't want you to leave her either Blue, I know you'll have her back and with my hand in its state… The better hunter shouldn't be the one to risk death on a strand of hope." Chloe opened her mouth but she was silenced by a glare. "It's not negotiable. I'm going and you're both staying." Chloe let go of the witch and stood up to walk to her fellow hunter. She put her right hand to Victoria's left shoulder. "Meet us back in the City of Frauy in three weeks' time, ask any gatekeeper where the Blue Hunter is staying. I'll make sure to leave a note with them so you can find us." Victoria turned to open the door and she looked over her shoulder back at Max.

"Stay safe. I'll see you soon." With that, the hunter opened the door and began her journey back to Beorf.

* * *

**Important A/N**

Hello everyone and welcome to my very first Author's Note. We've reached a point in the story that I've been planning for since chapter four was completed. Victoria going back to Beorf is an arc that I've been very excited to develop and I plan to do so by running a second story (called _Slither_ ) that runs parallel to _The Blue Hunter_. The main reason why _Slither_ is going to come out as a separate entity is that _The Blue Hunter_ is Chloe's story and I refuse to change that.

Some information about the story:

This arc will follow Victoria. I estimate maybe 10-15k words, 3-5 chapters. Rest assured that even though what will happen in _Slither_ will have slight to major impacts on _The Blue Hunter_ , I will explain thoroughly anything important that happens when it pops up in the main story. The chapters I write will come out in intervals between _The Blue Hunter_ and _Slither_ since they run parallel to each other. So until _Slither_ wraps up, expect that the chapter release speed will be cut in half for _The Blue Hunter_. You can expect two more very short Author's Notes to arrive later. One to let everyone know when the first chapter of _Slither_ drops and one to let everyone know when it is finished. Beyond that, you probably won't hear from me unless something important needs to be said.

Since I probably won't write another A/N, (I think they break up the flow of a story when you binge-read), I'd like to take this moment to thank everyone for their support on my story. I certainly didn't expect to have even one person interested in what I wrote and it's reached far beyond that. I love reading every review and comment that my story receives on both Fanfiction and Archiveofourown and I hope that you'll stick with me until the end of The Blue Hunter.

Thanks, _u/matulaak77_.


	15. Two Companions

Chloe got up drowsily off the stiff floor where she had been sleeping on a blanket and stretched out her back. She regretted not having gone looking for another inn now, sleeping on hard wooden boards was not ideal. It had been two full days since Slither had gone off towards Beorf. Chloe had a terrible feeling deep in the pit of her stomach that Victoria wouldn't be coming back from this mission. The hunter pushed it away with a scowl.  _"Where's your bloody faith in your fellow hunter? She can take care of herself much better than you ever could. Trap or not, Vic will save Kate if possible and meet us in Frauy."_ It was hard to think positively after hearing the man's tale a couple days back but she never let any doubts show when Max was around. The witch had taken the news like a well-aimed sucker punch and Victoria leaving with no backup had only helped fester her dark mood. Chloe had taken it into her own hands to shut that down as quickly as she could. She'd been spending the last two days distracting the witch and reassuring her that everything would turn out alright. She didn't believe it herself but having them both wallowing around wouldn't do Victoria any favors. In three weeks' time, they would hopefully meet back up with the other hunter and it wouldn't do to show up empty handed. So Chloe got up and stretched the rest of her limbs to start the routine she had acquired. The hunter would head over to The Chemist's Brew to see if the seekers had arrived with news of her contract and then over to The Hunter's Delight to see if her bolts had been finished.

She looked over to the bed and glanced at the sleeping witch. Her right arm was no longer bandaged but it was still very stiff, she had said that she needed three or four more days to get back to normal. Those herbs and salves she used were unlike any the hunter had ever seen, if she could've gotten her hands on those early in her career then she probably would be carrying a few less scars over her body. The witch's right arm still had two small circles where the arrows had penetrated the flesh but you had to really look for them. The skin was healing smooth and there wouldn't be scars by the time three or four more nights rolled around. She attached her belt with the two sheathed daggers around her body and swung the cloak around her shoulders. Next, the hunter picked up her crossbow and slung it on her back and attached the small enchanted blade in between her shoulders. The last on was her bag of bolts where she also carried her last remaining blinder. That would be something she wished she could reacquire more of sometime soon. They had come in handy during the fight with Slither and she would pay her weight in gold simply to get back a few dozen more. She lifted her shoulders slightly and hopped a few times in place to make sure everything was secured. Years of carrying the familiar weights over her body had made it seem unnatural when she didn't have them on, sort of like the feeling of walking around the city bare as the day she was born. Max grumbled in her sleep and squeezed the blanket tightly towards her face at the noise of the hunter shuffling about. Chloe couldn't help but smile at the sleeping witch.  _"She's too bloody adorable for her own good."_ She opened the door to the room silently and stepped out before closing it once again. There was no need to disturb the witch's rest right now, her errands would only take a couple hours at most.

She stood outside the inn for a moment to take in the morning light and the quiet bustling of the city getting ready for the day. Chloe made her way towards a small building right across the street. She opened the door to a flood of warmth accompanied by the smell of fresh baked pastries. The hunter walked up to the pretty woman behind the counter and slipped a few bronze coins towards her with a charming smile and wink. The woman quirked an eyebrow in amusement the same way she had done it the last time Chloe had entered the bakery. "The same as yesterday?"

"This time I'll get a bag of rolls if you don't mind. The smell of those is making my mouth water." Reaching behind her to the racks that held the rolls, the woman put a few inside a small bag delicately and handed it back to the hunter who ripped it right open to get to the baked goods. "Thank you" The hunter took off towards the door with her mouth full and headed south towards The Chemist's Brew. By the time she had reached the entrance to the tavern, the bag of rolls had been emptied and disposed of. It wasn't very busy inside since most of its patrons frequented it at night. The hunter could only spot four men in groups of two sitting at two tables completely opposite each other. She headed to the empty bar and took a seat on a stool while waiting for Michelle's arrival. The hunter didn't have to wait very long.

"I have good news for you my dear Blue Hunter." The voice came from behind Chloe and she looked over her shoulder towards the woman who was making her way behind the bar. "The two lords have accepted your counter-offer. They seemed thrilled to have someone of your caliber to take on this contract." Chloe smirked at the tavern's owner.

"Told you they would."

"That's not all. To give you more of an incentive to complete this quickly, they've told me to relay that they will give you five extra gold coins if this job is completed within the next week." Chloe smiled to herself.

"That's nice… but I won't be rushing this job. If I feel comfortable with the reconnaissance I've done then I might complete it that quickly but my last contract was sloppy from lack of information and scouting. I won't be repeating that mistake again." Chloe got up from the stool and nodded to Michelle in farewell as she left the tavern. Her next stop had brought on some more good news in the form of twenty four blue streaked broadhead bolts for her crossbow. The Hunter's Delight had always been Chloe's third favorite spot for repairs and new equipment and she was glad to see that the bolts were just as good quality as she remembered. She breathed the fresh morning air deeply and walked back towards The Golden Gauntlet.  _"Time to refill the coffers."_

* * *

Two more days had passed since Chloe had received news of her contract. She had made her way back to the inn to find a very hungry witch scarfing down whatever food the innkeeper could scrounge up. They had left to get their horses for the long travel east after the hunter had joined her for a nice breakfast meal made of pastries, eggs and ham. The trek towards the mercenary encampment itself hadn't been very difficult or unenjoyable. The two had taken their time and stopped for multiple breaks along the way. The first night on the road had been spent near the campfire teaching Max how to play a few different games of dice and cards that the blue-scarred hunter had taken a liking to. It had been a nice change of pace for both of them. No fighting or running away from enemies, it had felt like an eternity since Chloe had been able to just relax and play some mindless games for fun. Tonight they had setup a small camp in the middle of the forest that bordered the mercenaries. It was few hours ride until they would arrive at their destination and Chloe had decided this was a good enough spot to sleep undisturbed.

"So tell me… How did you get wrapped up in the world of hunting?"

"It's not really an interesting story Max." Chloe leaned her head back on the tree situated a good ten feet from the fire. The witch was leaning on the same tree a foot to her left and was staring intently into the flames while gesturing with her right hand. Suddenly the flames turned a shade of purple then settled on blue and Max smiled in triumph. She had been spending her time travelling trying to grow her strength in the art of illusions. Max claimed that strength in certain magical skills was like growing muscles. The more you used it, the stronger it became. She had really taken a liking to making random small creatures appear in front of the hunter to give her a good scare.

"I don't mind. I just want to learn more about what you went through. You know pretty much all the important stuff that happened in my life but you're a blank slate. All I know is of your time in Arcadia and your time with… Rachel." The last was said with a hint of melancholy. The hunter looked to her left. Once Max locked eyes with her, the fire went back to its natural color.

"Well you know what happened with my father in Arcadia that's pretty much why I left. I got really depressed once he passed, I used to blame him for dying. Thinking about why he would be so selfish to risk his life for someone else without thinking of his family first. I sorta folded into myself and shut out the world. I remember getting into fights with my mother about the stupidest things just to feel something… anything other than sadness. I wasn't a good daughter and looking back at it, I could be downright cruel sometimes. I even told her I blamed her for his death because she had sent him out to get food that day and if he hadn't been there... It got to the point where I was just sad and angry all the time. I figured my mother wouldn't care if I left anyways, so that's what I did." The hunter shifted on the tree to make herself more relaxed.

"You just left her behind?"

"I told you I wasn't a good daughter. I left with a friend who wanted to start a life somewhere else as well. We spent the better part of the trip to Beorf begging for food or stealing it in nearby villages when we couldn't find any. We had no money and the trip took us over two and a half weeks without horses, we slept most nights wrapped up in our cloaks and staring at the night sky."

"Sounds terrible."

"Well it sure wasn't pleasant Max, I can tell you that much. Once I arrived in Beorf, I started doing odd jobs. Anything that could provide me with some copper or silver coins. I kept on stealing even then to feed us and a man caught me leaving his stable with some carrots that were supposed to go to the horses." Max chuckled in amusement. "He's a good man, definitely one of the best I've met and I'm happy to consider him a friend."

"The man who owns the inn where you sent Victoria to collect your gold?"

"Yeah. His name is Frank Bowers, he was a merc for most of his life until he managed to get himself enough gold to get out of the business. He always told me when I became a hunter that I should do the same. He claimed that you didn't need all the coin in the world, just enough to be comfortable and live out the rest of your life in peace."

"He's right. What's all that coin you collect as a hunter really worth if you die before you can spend it? Living a life filled with death as your only companion isn't something anyone should strive to achieve." Chloe didn't reply to her comment.

"Frank gave me and my friend a job and lodging in his inn for a while and he paid us well. I'll always be grateful to him for that. He even loaned my friend a lot of gold to get her started on her business. For the tough persona he tries to front, he's got a good heart inside. Anyway, after some time passed, I saw a hunter come into the Silver Sword. He spoke of his latest adventure and how much coin he had made. It sounded perfect to me, a life of fame and coin. I didn't have anything to lose so I saved up to buy myself a good crossbow, my father had trained me with those from a young age. I was a natural with it, I'd always get the biggest game when we went hunting together. When I finally got one, I told Frank my plan and he gave me some gold and directions to a few small villages pass the east gate. I found my first contract in one of those. I stayed in the area and gained a reputation as someone who could handle the smaller contracts. It wasn't until I accepted the one that gave me this scar that I really became known." Chloe unconsciously stroked her fingers over the faintly glowing blue scar. "I didn't even really do it y'know? I took the credit for killing that witch but I had nothing to do with it. I screwed up hard and almost paid with my life for my mistake. The very same hunter that had inspired me to become one was the one who struck the killing blow and saved my life in the process. He died and I survived. I buried him and went back to the village with my scarred face and a false story. I learned some lessons that day about the value of scouting and striking only when it's safe to do so. Those lessons helped me become the successful hunter I am now."

"You liar." Max bumped their shoulder together and grinned at the hunter. "Not an interesting story? Certainly beats most I've heard." Chloe cracked a small smile and shut her eyes. The warmth of the fire was making her sleepy.

"What about Slither? Did she ever tell you how she got into the business?" The hunter's voice was faint.

"No. She's always been very secretive about her past. I guess you can ask her about it later when we meet back up." Chloe mumbled something incoherent and leaned her head on the witch's shoulder before falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

Chloe awoke once again to the feeling of a sore back and shoulders. Cursing under her breath, she yawned, opened her eyes and moved to shift herself when she found her lower body restricted by a weight. The witch had fallen asleep with her upper body resting over the hunter's stomach and legs. Chloe tried with no success to stealthily untangle herself from Max before giving up and stirring her awake.

"What is it?" The muffled voice was accompanied by a stifled yawn. Max rubbed her eyes and sat up while stretching out her back.

"Just sore from being used as a human pillow." The hunter said in amusement. Max's eyes widened and she stumbled out an apology.

"Sorry. I must've knocked out just after you did."

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad one of us had a good night's sleep." Chloe stood and cracked her neck. She started stretching herself out and hopping up and down to get the blood flowing to her legs. They felt as if she had a colony of ants moving around inside. She grabbed a few branches and logs lying about and made a pyramid amongst the charcoal left over from last night's fire. The hunter then set off towards the two horses and removed a small bundle of wrapped up food before making her way back to the extinguished fire. "Max…" She nodded to the pile of wood and the witch nonchalantly waved a hand at it without looking. The fire roared back to life within the pile and Chloe waited for it to dwindle down before sitting herself cross-legged next to it. The morning breeze was a bit cold and her legs felt damp from having slept half on the ground. Max took a place right next to her and they shared the dried meat and bread for a small meal.

"So what's your plan for tonight Chloe? Are we going to rush in and take out the leader? I could probably just set his hut on fire and strike it down with lightning from the tree cover. That would take care of both problems at once." Chloe glared at the witch with a serious expression.

"First off, there is no  _we._ Second, your plan is terrible." Max looked back the hunter indignantly. "Let the professionals handle this Max. If you set his bloody hut on fire it wouldn't do us any good. We have no ideas where the scrolls are and we only have one shot at taking them out. If they're alerted to our presence, they'll simply run away with them and we're back to square one. No. Today I'll head over and scout the area well into the night. Getting the incriminating evidence is the first priority and I need to have visual confirmation of the right documents. Once I can judge where they are being held accurately, I'll look at the men's routines and find the best way to sneak in undetected to reach them. When the plans are in my hands it'll only be a matter of heading back towards where I previously decided was the best place to line up a shot on the leader. Either way nothing is happening tonight or the night after if I can help it. I want at the very least two full days of scouting before I make my move."

"What do you mean there's no we? I'm going along with you." Chloe stared down the witch impassively.

"No. You. Aren't. End of discussion." Max opened her mouth to argue but Chloe stood up and made her way to the horses.

"We are so not done discussing this!" Chloe swung herself over the horses back and into its saddle. "Chloe!"

The hunter kicked the horse into motion and headed towards the mercenary encampment alone.  _"No more hunting partners. Never again."_

* * *

**A/N**

The first chapter of  _Slither_  has been uploaded. To find the story, click on my profile.


	16. The Encampment

"Where the bloody hell have you been?!" Chloe looked from the back of her horse towards the short witch who had just shouted and grimaced. She had gone off to scout the encampment a full day ago. It had turned out to be a very rewarding excursion and in addition to finding out the locations of the incriminating scrolls, she had also noticed quite a large flaw in the mercenaries' defenses. Unfortunately for the hunter, it had managed to take the full night and most of the morning before she made her way back to the camp. The sun shone brightly in the sky and she ran a sleeve over her face to dry her sweaty forehead before dismounting. Looking away from the witch, Chloe tied her mount to a nearby tree and spoke up.

"I got caught up with scouting…"

"I was worried Chloe, you took off without a word and show back up a half day later then you said you would." Max cut off the hunter.

"I'm sorry, alright? But if it makes you feel any better, I managed to get all the information I'll need for the contract. These mercenaries aren't very intelligent and it's doubtful that they have any tricks up their sleeves. I'll sleep the day away and go back at night to take down the target."

" _WE_ are going together to their camp. I'll wake you when its nightfall and we can go…"

" _YOU_  are going to stay here at the camp. I'm going alone." Chloe looked at her companion with intensity. "I thought this was settled."

"SETTLED?! You ran off before we could talk about it and I most certainly will not let you go into combat without backup. That's foolish Chloe."

"I've never needed backup before I don't need any now!"

"I've healed you from the brink of death twice in the last two weeks alone. I also healed very serious wounds you sustained that would cripple most, more times then I care to count. Who knows what could happen over there?"

"This is hunter's work Max. I can sneak in and out quicker on my own without you and if a fight breaks out I won't be able to protect you!" Chloe tried her hardest to get through to the witch but she was having none of it.

"I can make us disappear before we get spotted and I'm more than capable in a fight. I don't need you protecting me, I can take care of myself" she pointed out with a spark of anger. "Why won't you let me come along?!"

"I thought Rachel could take care of herself and look where it got her! I was wrong Max! She was one of the most skilled people I'd ever met and yet I had to bury her in the middle of a bloody meadow in an unmarked hole." Max's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly in shock. "I refuse to lose someone else I care about!" The hunter moved towards her waving her fist. "I can count on one hand the amount of people left alive that I care for Max! Everyone else is dead. I won't be able to handle losing you too."

"What about me?" The witch's voice softened. "You mention not wanting to see me dead but you don't think about what it would do to me if you didn't come back from that contract. You say you have a handful of people left? Welcome to the bloody group! I have no family that wants me and my coven was murdered. Kate is either dead or being tortured at the hands of an interrogator and Victoria left to spring a trap in a city filled with the enemy. What if they don't come back Chloe?! You're scared of being left all alone?! If you die…" The witch sniffled loudly. "I'll have nobody left." The hunter gaped at the witch.  _"Shit. What the hell is wrong with me?"_

"I'm sorry." The hunter walked forwards towards Max and moved her hands around her to hold her tightly. "I didn't even consider what you must be feeling. I just… Rachel's death destroyed me, I wasn't able to save her and I'm afraid that I might not be able to protect you."

"It's my decision to come along and risk my life Chloe, just like it was Rachel's. Her death isn't on your hands, she  _chose_  to take on the contract. Nobody forced her to do it, least of all you. Maybe you don't need backup but it won't hurt to take me along just in case." Chloe considered the muffled words carefully and she let out a soft breath.  _"I can't expect her to stand by and do nothing while I risk my life. I wouldn't leave her alone however much she argued if the positions were reversed. I'm a bloody hypocrite."_

"Alright Max. But if you come along we do everything my way, no objections. I have the most experience dealing with contracts by a large margin. I can't be spending my time worried about you while in the field. I need to trust that if I tell you to do something, it'll be done, even if it leaves me in a compromising position."

"I won't run away and leave you behind."

"This is important Max and I won't let you come along without your promise. You need to trust that I know what I'm doing." The hunter felt the witch nodding in ascent against her shirt and she slowly let her go. "Good. Now enough with this conversation, I've had ample amounts of emotional talks since I met up with you and I've grown rather sick of it." Max lifted an eyebrow while looking towards Chloe in amusement.

"Agreed."

* * *

"So which tent holds the scrolls we need to obtain?" Max was whispering to the hunter who was currently using the silver spyglass mounted on her crossbow to look over the mercenary encampment. Both women were laying on the ground at the edge of the forest, a few small bushes gave them cover from any whose eyes strayed to the tree line. Night blanketed the area surrounding the camp except for the many spots where oil lamps had been affixed to poles in the ground. Chloe pointed with her index finger towards a large red tent.

"The fool is carrying them on his belt. I managed to get close enough to overhear him bragging to his men about how much more coin they should extort from the lords. He showed them the scrolls and placed them back on his belt while laughing out loud at a suggestion that maybe he should place them in a strongbox. The man said and I quote, 'They're too scared to come by and try to take it by force. All lords are cowards'." Chloe mimicked the leader's high pitched voice in a whisper and she smiled when Max muffled a laugh in the crook of her arm at the impression. "That's what I meant when I said they weren't intelligent this morning. The man didn't even consider the fact that a lord would just pay to send a hunter his way." She pointed to the guards that stood watch over around the oil lamps on the outside of the lines of tents. "His men are also very lazy and most leave their positions a few minutes before their replacements show up. I used it to my advantage to sneak inside earlier. We'll wait until a new cycle starts and we'll sprint down the hill and behind that tent." The hunter pointed to the closest green tent.

"How are we supposed to make it to the middle?"

"We'll just walk over. I counted twenty three mercenaries excluding their leader, ten surround the camp to protect it and the rest sleep the night away until it's their turn at a shift. The guards don't look behind themselves so as long as we don't make too much noise then we won't run into any trouble. The only part that'll require some maneuvering is killing the leader without alerting the rest of them. If he's sleeping, I'll just jab a dagger into his throat but if he's awake… I think its best we come up with a plan on the spot depending on the circumstances. I figure we should be in and out in thirty minutes top. I don't want to fight the rest of them if I can avoid it. Strength in numbers and all… They would probably overwhelm us by sheer body count." Max nodded in the dark and moved herself side by side to the hunter. She was fidgeting and smiling at Chloe.

"This is really exciting." The hunter smirked at the witch.

"I forgot that you're basically fresh meat. The excitement dies down pretty fast after you find out just how quickly things can go wrong. Roughly half of my plans don't follow the script. The best hunters adapt and change their plans accordingly every second of the hunt." She bumped Max's shoulder with her own. "They're moving. Get ready… Now."

The hunter sprinted down the small hill and towards the safety of the closest tent. She felt exposed in the large open field lit by oil lamps. Chloe could feel her scar glowing faintly against the bright light and she pushed herself to run even faster. It took a good thirty seconds altogether to cross the field, the hunter crouched down and brought herself to a stop in the shadow of the tent. Looking back towards the field, she chuckled when she saw the witch only a bit over halfway there. Max arrived in a dozen seconds and fell to her knees panting slightly. "You really need to work on your endurance Max." The hunter received a punch to the left shoulder as a response.

"You have longer legs than I do. It's basically cheating." Chloe snorted in mirth and waited in the dark for a few minutes until she heard the distinct sound of heavy boots scuffing the ground. She placed her hand over the witch's own to signal her to stay quiet. A very large man dressed in a leather tunic turned the corner and walked a couple feet in front of them without noticing them. He was humming a tune out loud that sounded foreign to her ears. When he finally stopped himself by the oil lamp, he dropped his heavy mace and leaned it on the pole. Still holding on to Max's hand, Chloe made her way towards the middle of the camp carefully. She avoided stepping on any branches or tripping over the tent's wires that protruded from the ground stakes. Standing up once she felt comfortable with the distance that separate them from the guards, she let go of the witch and made her way closer to the red tent. Muffled snoring could be heard emanating from green tents scattered in the area. It seemed that she had been right in her assumption that all would be sleeping.

"Stay here." Chloe whispered as low as she could manage but it still felt too loud to her own ears. Max nodded and crouched down at the entrance to the leader's tent. Chloe slipped her enchanted blade free of its sheath and used its unnatural sharpness to slice the side of tent open quietly. The faint green glow made her uneasy and she placed it back between her shoulders to cover the dim light. Using her fingers to spread open the small cut in the side of the tent, the hunter stepped inside quietly. It was a very large tent, it stood roughly ten feet wide and fifteen feet long with the tall ceiling at least six feet high. The leader was snoring softly in his blankets on top of a big bed. A table with a lit lamp stood over a mass of maps and papers scattered across it. The hunter paid it no mind as she slipped a dagger into her right hand and approached the scrawny fellow with her breath held. She took a hold of a dirty red shirt on the floor and carefully held it above his face. Moving quickly, Chloe plunged her dagger down to the hilt into his throat and stuffed his open mouth with the shirt she had in her left hand. The man's eyes shot open and he began to flail. A small muffled gargling was making its way through the shirt but it wasn't loud enough to make the hunter worry. She removed the dagger from his flesh and calmly wiped the glistening metal on the blankets. He struggled for another couple dozen seconds before his eyes glazed over and he lay still. The blankets were stained red with the blood that had fled the open wound. Chloe used a walking stick leaning on the table to slide the gory layers off the bed. Once she uncovered the skinny leader, she reached over to his belt and detached the two scrolls. The hunter hesitated to open them and ultimately decided against it. Whatever information they contained didn't concern her. She secured the scrolls into the leather bag that held her bolts and took another large leather bag out. Scowling in disgust, she got a hold of her enchanted blade and turned to the corpse.  _"This is a bloody disgusting proof of completion."_  The blue-scarred hunter swung the weapon down in one smooth move and stepped back quickly when the corpse's detached head fell off the bed and rolled to her boots. The blade had managed to cut through the bed frame just as cleanly on the follow-through. Using the cleanest blanket she could find, Chloe covered her hands and used it to drop the disembodied head into the leather bag. She tied it up tightly and grimaced at the blood leaking from its bottom and onto her boots. The hunter opened the tent's makeshift entrance once again and Max's head whipped back towards her in alarm. The witch visibly relaxed at the sight of her friend. "It's done." A nauseated expression overtook the smaller woman's face as she stared at the bloody leather bag Chloe was holding. She looked back to the hunter with strong displeasure.

"Why?"

"Don't you look at me like that Max. You think I like chopping people's heads off to keep as trophies? You were in the bloody room with me when Michelle mentioned taking the head as proof of completion."

"I thought she was speaking metaphorically. Who the bloody hell would actually think she meant severing a man's head and carrying it back in a bag?"

"It's not all that uncommon. I'm just happy they didn't want me lugging the full corpse back to Draqt. At least I can carry this without making too much of a scene." She moved the bloody bag towards Max. "You wanna carry it for me?"

"No. That's absolutely disgusting." Chloe snickered in amusement and looked over towards the way out. "Wait. Chloe, come look over here." When the hunter turned her head to glance over her shoulder, she spotted Max looking further down at some tall rectangular metal cages. There looked to be five of them lined up and all were empty except for the middle. A figure was sitting down and holding onto its legs while swinging back and forth.

"Max." The witch kept going towards the cage. "Max. Stop. We are surrounded by enemies, now's not the time to play hero. Leave him." When the witch still didn't respond, Chloe jogged the dozen paces silently to catch up with her friend who had just reached the cage. The ground below the cage was singed black in a pattern that resembled branches of a tree and it extended up to a full meter away. The bald figure inside was very short, it looked to be five feet tall at most. Dirt and grime covered his skin and ripped clothing. It could pass for a short human if it wasn't for its abnormally wide blue eyes and hundreds of small blue veins that covered it from head to toe. Chloe's breath caught in her throat when she recognized it.

"Look at him, he's been beaten and burned. We should help free him." Max spoke softly without looking at the hunter.

"Yes. Free." The creature pointed at himself and let a toothy grin spread over his face. "Open cage." Its fingers uncurled and it pointed at the latch, it was locked in place.

"Max, that thing is dangerous. I've heard of those creatures before on my travels and they're known to be extremely volatile. Their bodies produce small arcs like lightning, one touch from them could stop your heart when they're channeling energy. Many hunters get contracted to kill them because they have a tendency to violently rampage through small villages to steal food. I don't even understand how this band of travelling idiots managed to capture a creature like him."

"Open cage." The creatures smiled excitedly. "Escape."

"Chloe, look at the state he's in. I'm not going to leave him here to be beheaded when they find out that their leader's dead. I can make the metal bars melt so he can escape and then we could leave and go our own way."

"Leave him behind. You promised me Max." Chloe stared her down and the witch wilted under her gaze.

"Please." Max looked up pleadingly. Chloe dragged a hand over her face roughly and turned to the creature.

"We open the door and you leave quietly. Do you understand me?" The creature's blue veins started to pulse with a faint glow and it scrambled to its feet while shaking its head frantically.

"Stand behind me." The witch frowned and Chloe spoke up in a louder whispered tone. "That's a bloody order Max." Max reluctantly took her place behind the hunter and Chloe nodded towards the cage. The bars on one side of the cage glowed a faint orange before growing in intensity until they finally started bending from the heat. It felt like standing next to a forge and Chloe brought up a hand to shield her eyes from the piercing light. When she no longer felt warmth ahead, the hunter dropped her hand and spotted the bars on the ground twisted and glowing with residual heat. The creature testily stepped outside its previous confine while avoiding contact with the metal. It looked up and its eyes started to glow blue. The veins that covered his face, arms and legs started to pulse rapidly and small electric arcs sparked across his body. Chloe could feel the energy mounting in the air, it felt like she was walking inside a thundercloud. Small crackling noises came from the increasing amount of blue arcs that sprouted from his glowing blue veins. Her throat felt dry at the sight and she glanced back at Max who was frozen on the spot. "Stop what you're doing or the light and noise will wake everyone up. They won't notice you leaving in the dark." The creature stepped closer and Chloe moved back while keeping her body between the witch and the creature. The noises were increasing in frequency and the ground was turning black around his feet from the electricity.

"Hurt them." It stepped forward another step and Chloe reached for her crossbow. The moment she moved, the creature lifted his right hand forward and a loud  _crack_ pierced the silent night. The hunter was propelled backwards hard onto the ground below one of the few lamp poles and her shirt was scorched black right in the middle. She clutched her chest where the lightning arc had struck her. She could feel her whole body tremble violently along with searing pain in her extremities. Chloe's fingers and toes had curled in on themselves and she shuddered as she tried to gasp for breath. Her whole body felt locked up and her head was buzzing loudly. She was aware of shouts coming from the mercenaries that had no doubt been awoken by the noise. Max fell to her knees next to the hunter and tried to cover her from the approaching creature.

"We helped you. Please go. We aren't with the ones who hurt you." The creature was now only a few feet away and he made no move to stop his trajectory. Chloe tried to make herself crawl away but her body was still unresponsive as she lay curled into a ball. She couldn't even force open her mouth to tell Max to run away. The creature lifted its palm towards both women to strike a second time but then cocked his head to the side in confusion. He lowered his hand slowly and bent down on the ground next to the hunter. Max was still trying her best to stay in between them but the creature payed her no mind. It brought its hand up and hovered over the hunter's face. She could see it looking in puzzlement at the blue glowing scar donning her face and then back to his own pulsing veins on his arm. The shouts were now right upon them and four big mercenaries turned the corner with clubs and maces held high. The creature's eyes flashed bright blue and he lifted both hands towards the men. Bright flashes and loud  _cracks_ made Chloe's eyes water and ears ring. When the spots cleared away from her vision, she spotted the men groaning in pain in much the same position she was. Finally feeling her limbs responding to her commands, the hunter slowly managed to shakily crawl up to her hands and knees.

"THE BLOODY THING IS FREE!" The loud warning came from somewhere the hunter couldn't see and she heard the sounds of men taking off away from the camp.  _"Bloody cowards"_ The creature cackled in glee and sprinted around the corner to chase down the escaping mercenaries. She could hear what sounded like lightning crackling in the distance. Chloe felt Max's hand on her back and the tight knot that held her chest dissipated to allow her to breathe freely. Her whole body went numb and her hands and legs stopped twitching.

"Are you alright? I'm so sorry Chloe. I didn't think he would attack us."

"I am  _NEVER_  letting you talk me into another bloody stupid idea." Chloe got up and spread open her fingers. "That was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced and that's saying something Max." The witch looked so guilty that Chloe couldn't help but stop her angry rant short before it really began. The hunter shook her head and took a deep breath before walking over to the bloody leather bag past the four men who were still curled in on themselves. Chloe turned back to the witch and threw the heavy bloody bag towards the ground at Max's feet. The short brunette cursed and flung herself back. "I'll forgive you for almost getting me killed once again if you agree to carry that  _bloody_  head all the way back to Draqt." Max looked up at the hunter in horror.

"You can't be serious." Chloe raised an eyebrow and glared at Max. Crinkling her nose, the witch bent down and grabbed the heavy bag tightly in her right hand. "I am really sorry. You were right and I promise I won't question you in the field anymore."

"You're still carrying the damn bag Max." The hunter strode past her and made her way through the camp towards the forest. She couldn't help but smile to herself when she heard the witch curse softly in disgust behind her.


	17. Refilling The Coffers

"What is it?" Chloe looked over at the witch who was riding a tall black gelding on her right side. The pair had been making their way back slowly towards Draqt for the past two days. Leaving the mercenary encampment had proven to be quite easy, the strange creature they had freed from the cage had managed to scatter all the remaining men in the camp and thus the duo hadn't ran into any opposition on the way out. They had however, seen many smoking corpses curled into a fetal position in the lining by the forest that had bordered the camp. It seemed that the creature had managed to get revenge on a few his captors for his forced imprisonment. Once back to their horses, both women had ridden for a few hours before finally succumbing to fatigue and forcing themselves to set some time aside for sleeping. The next two days had been filled by uneventful traveling where both shared tales of their adventures to pass the time. Max seemed to have taken a liking to the stories of odd or difficult contracts the hunter had taken up, there were no shortage of those thankfully and the days had gone by in a flash as Chloe recounted some of the more memorable ones. They now rode in view of the gates of the city.

"What do you mean?" Max's response came out along with a long yawn that served only to make Chloe yawn in turn as well. The last time they had rested had been a good ten hours ago but both had unanimously decided that it was for the best to reach the city and sleep in an inn rather than on the ground by the fire. There would be more of that to come soon and Chloe wanted to enjoy at least one night with the comforts of a real bed before they took off to travel towards Frauy.

"You've been stealing glances at me for the last few miles when you think I haven't been looking." The witch's cheeks reddened slightly and she coughed awkwardly in the crook of her elbow. The hunter stretched her back and scowled slightly when the wind shifted and forced her catch a whiff of the decomposing head that was sitting in the leather bag attached to the back of her saddle. Chloe had taken back the hold of the bloody bag the morning after the first night. She had ultimately taken pity on the witch that was clearly uncomfortable with the task. Max had reluctantly argued that she was happy to make up for having Chloe get attacked by keeping charge of the bodiless head but the hunter had simply smiled, taken it from her grasp and attached it to her own horse. The hunter wasn't mad at Max for indirectly getting her hurt in the pursuit of saving an innocent. She actually liked having someone around who looked to the positive and cared for others as deeply as her companion did, even if it did get them into trouble here and there.

"It's your scar." When the hunter crooked an eyebrow quizzically in her direction, Max clarified. "Ever since the… incident, it's been glowing a bright blue under the light. It used to be faint when exposed but now… It's like an oil lamp that just received a bit more fuel. It glows just a tad more brightly." Chloe felt at her face and she thought she could sense what Max was talking about. In the darkness her scar still wouldn't glow but now looking up at the sun, she could feel the difference. When she looked at her open hand held next to her face, she could see a shade of blue emanating from her scar being projected onto her palm.

"And here I thought you just liked looking at my pretty face." The hunter winked at the witch and laughed when Max looked down to avoid her gaze. "I suppose it is a bit more noticeable than it used to be, just my luck I guess, it'll be even harder to sneak into any village or city undetected." The thought saddened her dapper mood somewhat, she had lost her anonymity long ago when tales of her exploits managed to make the rounds around the country. The fame she had acquired sometimes felt a bit overwhelming. Hunters weren't loved everywhere and she had felt more than her fair share of judgement by common folk. "What do you think caused it? The lightning bolt to the chest?"

"That seems to be the most likely scenario. You told me that the scar you bear was caused by magic lightning and this creature seemed to be controlling a similar sort of energy. I don't know really, I'm only just speculating."

"Think it'll go away and fade back to what it was?"

"Only time will tell." Chloe grumbled under her breath at the cryptic answer as they arrived at the gates. The guards on the walls took one look at the hunter and shouted something she couldn't make out down towards the ground on their side. The metallic sound of the gate opening up followed and Chloe rode through the gate while glancing at the saluting guards. "I love how respected you are in this city, they really love you here."

"I'm just as hated in many others Max. I'm no saint, I've done terrible things for coin that would make most folks curse my name and spit on my grave."

"You'll prove all those people wrong when we take down and expose Prescott."

"I hope you're right Max." Chloe rode the rest of the trip in Draqt to The Chemist's Brew in comfortable silence alongside the witch.

* * *

After giving their mounts to the same stable master they had dealt with a few days back, Chloe tipped him a few silver coins and headed towards the door to the tavern. She had decided to leave the target's head in the corner of an unused horse stall after a small conversation with Max who had been adamant that she not infest the building with the smell of a severed head that had spent most of the last two days boiling in a bag. Put in those terms, it had been difficult to argue against the small witch. Opening the door for the brunette, Chloe made her way towards the bar and sat down. She winced at the soreness of her bottom from the long hours spent riding in a saddle. Max sat gingerly and folded her arms on the counter before burying her head in her limbs. "It won't take too long Max, you can go ahead and meet me at The Golden Gauntlet if you want to catch some shut eye." Max looked up and shook her head sideways.

"Not yet, I want to make sure everything goes smoothly." The noise of glass sliding on wood towards her made Chloe look at the heavy set woman behind the counter. Michelle was wearing a colorful orange shirt and was smiling from ear to ear. The woman slid the two mugs of ale further towards the weary travelers.

"This is why I like you Chloe, you never disappoint. I'm assuming you've finished the contract?" The hunter nodded her head in ascent. "Hah! Good, I've been waiting far too long to get this one over with. If only one of those hunters I sent previously had one tenth of your skills… Anyways, the proof of completion?" Max scowled at the woman.

"The damn head? I can't believe you made us carry that disgusting thing back with us." Michelle smiled broadly at the comment.

"All part of being a hunter." She moved her attention back to Chloe who was sipping at her drink. "I assume you left it somewhere considering my sense of smell isn't being violated as we speak." The hunter dropped the half empty mug on the counter and smiled.

"You can thank her for that." Chloe nodded to the witch beside her. "If it would've been up to me, your whole tavern would be enjoying the scent of freshly decomposing flesh to accompany their meals." She pulled out the two scroll from her bolt bag and pushed across the counter towards the tavern owner. "The head's in a leather bag in your stables. I'm sure you can find it if you just follow your nose. How long until the lords come down to inspect the proof and give me payment?" As an answer, Michelle broke open the seals that had been holding the scrolls closed and read through their contents quickly.

"Everything checks out as far as these are concerned. They were handed to me sealed and I know you aren't a dishonest woman so I'll take your word on the identity of the head." Max's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You aren't going to even check it?"

"I've dealt with Chloe long enough to know that she isn't a fraud. If she told me that the head in the bag was the High Lord Prescott's himself, I'd believe her. These lords don't care enough to leave their estates to check on something like this, they entrusted me with the payments and left me with the means to confirm the scrolls contents. Give me one moment." Michelle moved from behind the bar and threw the scrolls into the fireplace, she left to go into the kitchen soon after. When she finally returned, the woman was holding onto a decent sized wooden chest embroidered with small green gems and gold bands that looked as if it weighed a good amount. She placed it on the counter and opened the chest with a small golden key kept around her neck on a thin silver chain. She laid out three very big bags of coins and slid them towards the pair. "Two hundred and fifty gold coins for the head and scrolls as agreed, split into three bags." The woman counted out five individual coins from the chest and gave them to the hunter. "Five gold coins for completion within the week. Anybody that you had to waste a bolt on?"

"Nope. Clean and easy, we didn't run into any problems." Max raised an eyebrow towards her as the hunter conveniently forgot to mention the creature that had almost killed them. "I should mention that the mercenaries are no longer camped there. As far as I know, they all split off in different directions. I doubt they'll cause any more problems to the population in the area." Michelle seemed skeptical but didn't say anything more on the subject.

"So are you interested in another contract? I could use someone like you to run down some of my more difficult jobs. They won't pay anywhere near as well but I could manage one hundred for a particularly nasty one." Chloe shook her head.

"I'm leaving for Frauy come tomorrow. We have to meet up with some friends and time is of the essence."

"It's a bloody shame not to get you for another couple but I understand all too well. You never were one to stay in one place for very long however much coin I offered you. I wish you well my dear, make sure to come back and visit me if you're ever in need refilling your coffers." Michelle moved away and went back to serving customers as Chloe packed away their earnings into her bolt bag. It was much heavier than the hunter would prefer and formed three quite uncomfortable lumps. She couldn't wait to move them into a horse's pack saddle or inside an inn's chest.

"I've never even held one fifth the amount you have on you in my entire life." Max was looking at the leather bag on the hunter's back. "You made all that money off one bloody job, five days of work and you have more than most common folk make in four to five years." The witch was shaking her head in wonder. "I never knew hunters made this much coin."

"My work is dangerous, so it pays well for those that are good at it. It's the perk of being one bad day away from standing at death's doorstep." Chloe shrugged her shoulders to feel at the strain on the bag straps. "We'll need more supplies for the trip to Frauy, it's going to be a long one. I figure if we stick to the roads and villages, maybe… one week. Give or take a few days depending how much we want to run down our horses. We'll probably get there a good eight days or so before Vic but I can pass the time by picking up contracts. The city is bigger than Draqt so I might be able to find more competition for my work. I've been involved in a bidding war between two lords looking for the best hunter available and by the time I accepted a contract from one of them, I had already tripled the initial coin agreed upon. I suspect it became more about upping the other lord then actually completing the job at hand but I won't complain if it happens again."

"That sounds like a good plan. I'd also like to make our way by village this time, I don't fancy sleeping on the ground as much as we have in the last little while."

"I seem to remember you sleeping on the bed while I took the floor the last time we were here." Max feigned a look of confusion as she scratched at her temple.

"I can't recall what you're talking about. Maybe all the blows you keep taking to the head are causing some memory loss." Chloe grabbed onto the witch with her left arm and ruffled her hair affectionately with her right hand. Max looked on in mock annoyance as she struggled to get her hair back into a presentable fashion.

"How dare you! Just for that, I'm going to make you sleep on the floor with no blankets." Chloe moved to make her way to the door of the tavern. "Let's go make our way to an inn before it gets too dark and all the rooms get taken. I'd hate to take too long and forget where I am. Who knowns? I might end up lost and wandering in circles until the morning." Max laughed and slipped a couple silver coins onto the bar to pay for the two drinks. When she turned back, she smiled and ran the few paces to catch up to the hunter who was already holding the door open to the outside with a flourish.

 


	18. The City Of Frauy

The hunter cracked her neck and rolled her stiff shoulders as she rode with her companion the remaining hundred or so yards towards the City of Frauy's southern gate. Nine full days of peaceful and relaxing travel had gone a long way to lowering Chloe's stress levels. Both the hunter and the witch had taken their time to get here since they would be stuck waiting for Slither regardless of how hard they pushed their mounts. This had led them to taking the roads and stopping at multiple villages when possible. To Max's surprise, their coin stash had not lightened by much from all the supplies and inns. Chloe had explained that the general rule went that the smaller the village, the cheaper a stay in its inn would be. So both had opted to sleep comfortably in beds and had managed to do so for all but two nights where their travels had taken them on long inhabited stretches. Chloe looked to the sun and felt at her scar unconsciously, the bright blue wound had yet to grow fainter much to her displeasure. She felt a pebble hit the back of her shoulder and turned to see Max grinning at her.

"You're doing it again." The short brunette rode up to her side and looked ahead to the large metal gates that would bar their way very soon. "For someone who prides herself on looking so tough, you certainly are insecure about that scar." A small glint of amusement twinkled in the witch's eyes. "If it bothers you that much that it draws the eye then maybe you should fully embrace it. You could dye your hair blue and wear clothing to match. It won't stick out as much that way." Max started to laugh at image that the description no doubt formed in her mind and Chloe smacked the witch in the arm amiably in response.

"Blue hair? Do I look like a court jester to you? I would look ridiculous!" The witch reached over and ran the tip of her fingers through the hunter's shoulder length hair. The hunter hadn't had the chance to cut it back to her normal length in some time.

"I think you could pull it off." When the hunter looked down, she noticed that her hair had changed color and was now an electric blue that matched her scar. When she raised an eyebrow, Max snickered and the illusion vanished to give way to her natural strawberry blonde.

"You might not want to do that so close to the gate Max, I'd rather not have you hung in the city square for practicing witchcraft."

"Halt!" The shout broke through the witch's response and both women looked up to see two soldiers with arrows out and bow in hand. They spoke to themselves and motioned them to wait a moment. Both of the armored guards wore the city's sigil of a single eye with a red iris painted on their silver chest plate. According to the city's history, Frauy had long ago been nothing but a small village where the rare traveler stopped to rest. It was said that a cyclops had once terrorized the neighboring regions and all other villages had been destroyed by the beast's violent rampages over the surrounding area. The village of Frauy had become the last vestige of hope for any who wished to hide from the one-eyed monster and it grew in population by tenfold as refugees flooded it in hopes of safety in numbers. When it became the last to stand tall in defiance, the cyclops had decided it was time to take down the last of the humans in his territory and he waited until dark to attack as he roared from a nearby forest to scare his future victims. As many bard's retelling of the famous story told it, the mayor's son who was no more than sixteen winters old snuck away alone to meet the creature head-on in battle to protect his family and friends. He faced down the cyclops at the edge of the forest bordering his village with nothing but a rusty short sword and a wooden buckler and managed to triumph over insurmountable odds. The young boy had come back to his village with the cyclops' bloody red eye held up in the palm of his hand as a trophy and was subsequently hailed as the people's savior for his courage in the face of certain death. The men and women who had come seeking refuge decided to stay in the village rather than rebuild what had been destroyed and as such, it started to grow. As the years passed and the old mayor grew sick, the reins of the now small city were given unanimously to the man who had saved them and he was welcomed with open arms as its first lord. The city's sigil changed that day to reflect the important piece of its history that had shaped it to become what it is today. Many generations had lived and died but the grandiose city never forgot its origin and a bronze statue of a young sixteen year old boy holding a single eye high up over his head stood on a pedestal in the city square to remind themselves of what had happened that fateful day.  _"What I wouldn't give to see that battle in the flesh."_  The fight had remained shrouded in secrecy even now, the boy had told nobody any details and had opted to take it to his grave. Chloe herself had never come across a cyclops and she was more than alright with that, they were said to be very strong and bloodthirsty. The metal gate creaked into life and snapped Chloe back to the present. Max leaned in to whisper in a voice that wouldn't reach the guards standing on the other side.

"Something feels wrong." The hunter's blood ran cold and she looked to her partner with serious eyes. Her right hand instinctively went to rest on her hip so she'd have easier access to her trusty crossbow.

"What is it? You think they saw you making that illusion?" Max shook her head.

"No… It's… Hard to describe." The witch looked to the city in confusion and frowned. "It's more along the lines of a… small spark of intensity in the air I hadn't felt until the gates opened. Like as if all of a sudden a very thin mist of… I don't know." Max shook her head in exasperation and looked up ahead to the guards that were now making their way towards them along with a grizzled gatekeeper holding a thick logbook. "I don't think it's dangerous though, at least I hope so. Just trust me on this, I'm not making things up."

"I believe you Max but if it's not putting us in immediate danger then we'll revisit the topic at a later time. Somehow I don't think these guards would appreciate hearing that a witch is feeling some weird energy coming from their beloved city." Max nodded and seemingly retreated into her own mind. The hunter moved up to take the lead and speak with the men who were waiting for them to dismount. She patted down her horse and felt a small pang of loss when she thought of her own warhorse left behind in Beorf.  _"I hope Frank takes good care of you and sells you to a good owner."_ Tearing herself from the thought that she had yet again lost something she cared for deeply, Chloe let out a smile and moved to stand herself in front of the gatekeeper.

"My name is…"

"I know who you are." The gray haired guard that cut her off stood to the left of the man taking notes. He rested his hand on the pommel of a long sword as he looked her up and down with scrutiny. Chloe held back a sigh.  _"So it's gonna be one of these cities."_

"I'm here on…"

"Quiet!" The guard once again stopped her from speaking as he held up a hand to silence her. The hunter was getting fed up with the way the man was leering at her like she was some sort of wild beast to be wary of. "I don't like letting your kind loose into Frauy, you hunters tend to be too volatile."

"Then you should change your bloody tone before you piss me off some more." His eyes widened at her reply and she heard his grip tighten on the weapon at his hip. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that angering an assassin is a dangerous game?" The hunter knew she shouldn't be confrontational but Max's warning combined with the reception she had received was souring her mood. She leaned in some more. "I'd hate for you to learn that lesson the hard way."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm giving you advice, usually I charge gold for it but I'll waive the fee this time. I don't think a sorry sap like you could afford it anyways." The hunter felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Max looking at her with wild eyes and a disbelieving expression. The witch silently mouthed  _'What the bloody hell are you doing?'_  and Chloe's cheeks reddened slightly as she grasped at the situation unfolding. She turned her head back to look at the three men in front of her. The guard she had been exchanging words with was red faced with anger. The gatekeeper and the other guard looked more stunned than anything, they wore an expression similar to the one she had seen on the witch. Coughing softly to buy herself precious seconds to think, the hunter decided to approach this another way. She addressed herself to the gatekeeper. "I apologize for my behavior, my nerves are fried from the long journey but I assure you that I'm here on business. I'm to meet an important client over a fulfilled contract. She's a very wealthy lady with direct blood ties to the Queen on the other side of the border. I'm sure that when she arrives and hears of the warm welcome I've received…" She pointedly looked to the guard who was visibly restraining himself. "Then I have no doubt that a generous compensation will be shared amongst the ones who deserve it." The gatekeeper and the other guard exchanged a quick glance between themselves. The thin man finally tore his gaze away to look at the hunter while wringing his hands.

"I can see that my friend may have misjudged you. Who are we to come in between important business that involves royalty?" His eyes sparkled with vigor as he talked, coin went a long way towards getting you what you needed. "We'll need to hold onto some assurances in the form of a toll however." Chloe smirked as she reached over to the inside of her hooded cloak, she opened up her coin pouch deftly with one hand and grabbed a handful of coins without bothering to see their denomination. The hunter offered the large bounty to the gatekeeper who hastily shoved it into his pockets while looking about. "I will of course hand the coin back to the lady when she arrives, this is merely temporary." Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she'd be lucky if even a single copper coin was given back to Victoria when she made her way through the gate. "What does this lady look like?"

"She's tall for a woman, she has very short blonde hair with green eyes and is missing two fingers on her left hand." The man's eyes widened and Chloe kept going before he could ask the obvious. "Royalty on the other side of the border is quite odd, the lady was taught from a young age on the art of battle and she has taken down numerous deadly fighters in her rise to infamy." The hunter looked over the guard on the left who seemed to have calmed down to a mild simmer. "I would encroach her with caution, she's been known to kill those who offend her." The guard's eyes glinted with hatred and she turned back to the man holding the logbook. "She sports attire befitting that of a close ranged fighter but rest assured that she is nobly born. Bowing would be a good way to show respect." She tacked on the last offhandedly and felt Max pinch her arm stealthily. Chloe suppressed a grin at the nods she received from the two men in front of her. "Spread the word to the other three gatekeepers of a woman matching her description who will arrive and ask for the Blue Hunter. I want her told that I will stay in Heindal's Shield to await her. Do this and I'm sure she will reward you handsomely for the help given." The gatekeeper nodded eagerly and closed his logbook loudly.

"I don't think I'll need to take down your information, an upstanding citizen like you shouldn't require it." Chloe smiled and the man moved aside to gesture inwards, the hunter made a show of grabbing her mount's reins and she shoved the left guard aside roughly with her shoulder as she walked by. She heard him curse softly but he left her mind immediately as she took in the grandiose city in front of her. The hunter had been here only once before a long time ago and had been just as astounded at its beauty. The first lord of Frauy had seen the quick growth of his city and had commissioned the work of the best stone masons available to make his city surpass any other in its architecture. Of the ones she had visited, Chloe had found this city to rank high up in the list of the most appealing, it was a truly breath taking sight look over the numerous old buildings in all their glory. A loud cough made her turn to look over the small brunette walking beside her. She flinched at the glare the witch sent her, Max did not look happy in the slightest.

"What the bloody hell was going through your mind? You almost started a fight with a city guard of all people. He would've been fully in his rights to have us hung for threatening to kill him!"

"I didn't threaten him Max…"

"You can call it advice or whatever else you want but everyone present was well aware of what it was."

"The man was a prick, did you see the way he was glaring at me? You would've thought I slayed his family dog from the attitude he was giving off. There's no way he would've let me in to the city." Max rubbed at her temple softly.

"Maybe you're right but there was certainly a better way to handle this." The witch turned her mount left onto a smaller less crowded path that bordered the city wall. "You were deliberately antagonizing him every step of the way."

"It's part of my charm…"

"And what's with that description you gave him of Victoria? The moment they  _'bow'_  to her, she's likely to kick one of them in the head. You know she absolutely despises nobles and she'll definitely take offense to being treated as one." Chloe laughed uproariously at the image of the blonde hunter scowling as the sole of her thick boot met the left guard's bowed helmet. "To top it off, you told them she'd pay them a sum! Victoria will flip out on them!" That comment only served to make the hunter double over as she laughed even harder. Moments passed before she wiped her eyes and settled down enough to start walking again. Small chuckles escaped her lips here and there and she noticed Max was fighting hard not to crack a smile.

"You have to admit that my way of dealing with people may be somewhat rough, but it's certainly efficient."

"I will admit to no such thing." Max cried out as the hunter dropper her reins and grabbed onto the witch from the back with both arms. Chloe lifted the small brunette and spun her in circles as she laughed.

"Admiiiiiiit it!"

"Put me down!" When the hunter didn't relent, Max started to struggle to no avail before she finally caved. "Fine! You're a savant at dealing with people! Now let me go!" The hunter gently placed Max's feet back to the ground and stepped back as the witch turned and walked a few steps towards her before losing balance and tumbling to the ground. Chloe burst out laughing once again as Max fought a losing battle against her dazed self and fell back onto her bottom the moment she got up and took another step. The witch finally broke and joined in on the laughter while they both earned quite a few odd glances from the passing crowds. When both women finally stopped to breathe, Max got to her feet shakily and smacked Chloe in good humor on the shoulder with her fist. "I can't believe you. It's like I'm travelling with a big kid!" Chloe couldn't help but raise an eyebrow with amusement.

"You love it. I'm told that my personality is my second best trait." Max smiled and patted down her horse that thankfully had been trained well enough not to move when the reins were put down.

"What's the first?" Chloe opened her mouth to reply but her eyes wandered over to a sign that hung over a small nomadic wagon attached to an old brown horse a few yards away and her breath caught. Max noticed the silence and turned to follow her gaze over to its destination. The small wooden sign showed the outline of a blue circle with a dark red triangle in its center with the points extending beyond its confines, a purple diamond painted inside the triangle finished the sigil. She heard Max exhale softly. "A tinkerer!"

"What would a tinkerer be doing inside a beat up wagon like that? You think he's a real one?"

"The guild would have him hunted down and killed for impersonating one of theirs. They take that stuff very seriously, he must be one of them." Max moved towards it with both mounts following behind her. Once the hunter got closer, she inspected the beat up wagon with a hard glance. It stood a good ten feet long and eight feet tall. Its wheels were painted yellow to match the color of the wagon itself. The paint was chipping off however and it looked to be at least a decade old at her estimate. The door was locked shut and with a small shrug directed towards the witch, Chloe knocked on the door loudly. No response came so she tried a second time.

"He's not here."

"We should come back later, a tinkerer could have some very useful tools for us to use in the upcoming fight." Chloe nodded.

"Let's make our way to Heindal's Shield and put our horses to the stable. It's not too far and maybe he'll be back by the time we're done." The hunter took off in the direction she remembered would bring her closer to the inn she was looking for. Max took one last look at the decrepit wagon and followed along behind her.


	19. He Who Tinkers

"Bloody hell… This is getting ridiculous!" Chloe stood off to the side, leaning against the wall of a small red brick house. Max sat on the stairs to her right with her back to a door. Both women were equally frustrated albeit for different reasons.

"Why isn't she here yet? It's been one whole week since we've arrived in Frauy and still no word! She should've been here days ago!" Max fidgeted with her hands as she looked down to her knees.

"This bloody tinkerer better have a good reason for not being here. I'm getting real sick of watching the same damn wagon every day for hours on end." Chloe glared daggers at the beat-up yellow nomadic wagon that was in the same spot it had been since they had discovered it. The hunter had asked around of course but nobody in the area had a clue as to how it had gotten there or its owner's whereabouts. "If he doesn't show in one more day, I'll force my bloody way in!"

"What if something happened to her when she arrived in Beorf? You both thought it was a trap! What if Victoria walked right into the middle of it? This was a terrible idea, we didn't even know if Kate was alive and we let her go into an ambush alone." Chloe tore her gaze from the frustrating sight ahead to look down to the witch. Max's right leg was shaking up and down, the hunter had come to realize that it was a nervous habit for the small brunette. It had become a more common sight as of late.

"Max… Anything could've happened to screw with our time frame. For all we know, Slither is just taking her time and stopping at villages on the way just like we did. Or maybe she lost her horse, or she decided to take some time to nurse her wounds, or she's hiding from the soldiers. Hell, maybe she hasn't even tried to break Kate out yet and is still laying low until she has the opportunity to do so." Max looked up to Chloe, her face showed off the anxiety the witch felt at the moment.

"We agreed on three weeks Chloe…" The hunter rubbed at her forehead in mild irritation. She was about to make a snarky reply when she looked back at the witch and thought better of it.  _"She's only worried because she cares… Stop being so damn insensitive."_ Chloe frowned slightly, normally she held a mostly tight leash onto her emotions but since entering Frauy she'd been more on edge. The hunter brushed the thought away. " _Bloody city is giving me the creeps."_

"I get it Max, I really do… But worrying won't solve anything. We're way too far to get involved and all we can really do is wait for her. I'd rather spend my time focused on getting ourselves ready for the fight, it sucks but it's the best thing to do in our position."

"What if she doesn't show up?" Max looked down, her voice small. Chloe moved closer and let her back slide down the rough surface of the wall behind her until her bottom hit the stairs right next to the witch. She looked to her side and placed an arm around the Max's shoulders to reassure her.

"We'll wait however long we need Max. I'm not giving up on them." Max leaned her head on the Chloe's shoulder and they stayed on the stairs for a good hour in silence while watching the tinkerer's wagon. The more she waited, the more angry Chloe felt at their situation. She tried hard to be the strong one of the pair but she could feel a mixture of doubt and frustration creep up in her mind. They'd arrived a week past in the grandiose city and since then, they'd been buried in bad luck. To start off, the tinkerer's wagon was seemingly abandoned and the increasing amount of visits throughout the day yielded no success. The man was a ghost, one day he'd rolled up in the night and he hadn't been seen since. Then there was the subject of the witch's constant discomfort at the hands of whatever magic was causing the small spark of intensity Max had described feeling back at the gate's entrance. Neither had managed to think of what it could be and asking city folk was out of the question. That could lead straight to the hangman's noose if the right people grew suspicious of the brunette. The last was Slither. Her fellow hunter had been supposed to get here within days of their own arrival if they had headed straight from Beorf in a direct line to Frauy. Max and Chloe had both intentionally taken their time to get to the city and by the hunter's own internal admission, Victoria truthfully should've been here now. That made her worry. Chloe couldn't show it of course, it wouldn't do to have both of them be nervous wrecks. So the hunter once again focused all her negative emotion on the task at hand.

"Alright, I've endured enough of this for today. Let's take off and go back to the inn." Max lifted her head from the hunter's sore shoulder and yawned. It wasn't late at night but Chloe had noticed that her friend hadn't managed to get much good sleep lately. She'd been plagued by nightmares brought on by her anxiety. Chloe offered her hand to the sitting witch and she helped Max stand up.

"I think I might try and get som…" Max trailed off and her eyes which had been full of sleep moments ago, lit up full of energy. Chloe whipped her head towards the sight of the witch's gaze to spot what had triggered such a strong response. The hunter noticed a man fiddling with the lock on the door to the yellow wagon. After a short moment, the lock came undone and he walked inside. The door closed shut behind him.

"It's him!" Chloe couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. "Let's go introduce ourselves."

"Chloe… Slow down." Max ran to catch up with the hunter who had bolted towards the man's home. She was already knocking on the door when the witch arrived next to her slightly out of breath. A muffled shout came from the inside and Chloe redoubled her efforts as she hit the door harder and faster than before. Her fist hit the door at an odd angle when the door opened briskly but she hardly noticed the small pain that shot through her fist.

"I just arrived home and I happen to be incredibly tired, can this wait until tomorrow?" Chloe mouth dropped open in surprise. The person who stood in front of her was the opposite of what she had expected. He was of average height with a long black coat that reached to the top of his brown boots, his shirt was sky blue and his trousers a dark gray. The man had choppy brown hair which matched his eyes and he wore a thick pair of goggles around his neck. What had taken the hunter by surprise however, was his age. She would peg him to be a few years younger than herself. He shuffled on his feet awkwardly as he looked her over.

"Can I help you..?" Chloe got back to her senses and she felt Max move to her other side where she wouldn't be obscured by the door.

"Sorry, I was looking for the tinkerer who owns this wagon."

"Well… You found him." He smiled proudly as he unconsciously fixed his posture to stand straighter. "I was accepted by the  _Guild of Tinkerers_  last year." Chloe frowned in disbelief.

"You're not… exactly what I imagined." The man visibly deflated at her cautious tone.

"I know I look much younger than tinkerers usually do but I assure you that I really am one." That was an understatement if Chloe had ever heard one. Tinkerers were known across the world as the best inventors alive with ingenious minds and intelligence that was rarely surpassed. They spent years studying and training until they could join the guild. The guild itself didn't just accept anyone, they turned away hundreds of acceptant every year and only a select few would join their ranks after long and careful deliberations. That meant most tinkerers had gray hair and wrinkles long before getting into the guild and setting off to work on their inventions or offer their services to nobles and royalty. Chloe still wasn't convinced of his honesty but he seemed harmless.

"Right." His gaze fell on Max and his eyes grew wide as he stammered out a greeting.

"H..Hi. I'm Warren. Warren Graham." He extended his hand to the witch who shook it politely, the man was grinning like a fool. Chloe looked between the two and scowled in irritation. She found herself considering the fastest way to take him down if the need came up. The hunter moved closer to Max and extended her hand in greeting to the tinkerer.

"I'm the Blue Hunter." She smirked as Warren's face dropped and his eyes flickered to her scar in sudden recognition. He took her hand cautiously in greeting and Chloe made a show of rolling her shoulders to bring attention to the crossbow slung on her back.

"A pleasure…" He stepped back warily and rubbed his hand. "I hope you aren't here to fulfill a contract on me." He chuckled nervously at his attempt at a joke.

"You don't have to worry about that." Warren seemed to relax. "Yet…" Max wacked her on the left arm.

"Stop it! She's just kidding." Max looked back over to the tinkerer. "We've actually been waiting for you for the last week. A tinkerer is exactly what we need right now." Warren smiled broadly and he motioned for them to step inside and sit inside his wagon. Chloe stepped in first and whistled appreciatively. An oil lamp lit up the small area and Chloe noticed many odd things littering the shelves, drawers, floor and bed that she assumed were unfinished inventions. Most looked like nonsense but she recognized certain things that looked like they could be weapons. There wasn't much room inside but the man cleared some objects off a small bench to give them some sitting room. Chloe sat next to Max and instantly reached to her feet for what looked like a hilt made of entirely of steel. It was very heavy and at the hilt's end was a small slit with a sharp five inch blade.

"It looks like a sword for dwarves." Chloe looked closer at the blade and she felt her finger brush a small loose piece in the hilt's side.

"Don't!" The hunter looked up quickly at his panicked tone of voice. He reached for the small sword and she gave it back reluctantly. "It's very sensitive and I haven't worked out all the kinks yet. I wouldn't want it to accidentally trigger."

"Trigger?" Max spoke up and Warren smiled as he held the hilt towards the door and away from their bodies.

"Watch." The tinkerer pressed on the loose piece on the hilt's side that was apparently a trigger and loud  _Thwack_ filled the room as the five inch blade extended in less than a second. It had shot out to a full fifteen inch and now looked more along the lines of a regular sword. Her mouth hung open as she inspected the blade, it had a notch at every five inch interval and many marks made with ink that showed dimensions and notes. "It's only a prototype so far." Warren pressed the blade down onto a metal plate at his feet and pushed down hard until the blade retracted down the notches and became five inches once more.

"I want one." Chloe looked at the tinkerer who laughed in amusement.

"When I have everything perfected then you can be the first to wear one at the hip but right now it won't be possible."

"Why not?" Chloe was still looking at the weapon and her thoughts rushed around her head to all the uses it could bring her.

"It has a tendency to shoot out randomly when the spring inevitably breaks from the tension of holding back the blade. Trust me, you wouldn't want that next to your body when it goes off unexpectedly."

"Bloody hell!" The hunter cringed as she remembered looking down the blade just moments ago.

"I've a few ideas to fix the issue, I'm thinking of using stronger alloys to…"

"What about this thing?" Chloe ignored him and grabbed onto a smooth metal glove next to her and she placed it over her right hand, it fit her perfectly. The soft metal was a quarter inch thick, it felt both warm and electric to the touch and she squinted at a blue pentagon in its palm. Small light blue ridges ran along the back of the fingers and thumb, over the tips and down the palm to each meet at a different corner of the five sided shape. It wasn't symmetrical and it certainly wasn't pleasing to the eyes. "It looks like a weapon." The hunter pointed it palm raised to the tinkerer whose eyes widened as he stumbled back a step. "Heh! Knew it." Chloe lowered her hand and she heard Max chuckle good humoredly. "How does it work? What does it do?" Warren scrambled back up and took the gloves off the hunter's hand with caution.

"You ever heard of a jolt gauntlet?" When Chloe nodded her head, he continued on with a passion. "Well I had the chance to examine pieces of one that the guild held inside the walls of the institution. I wasn't supposed to have access but…" His eyes glowed with excitement. "Well needless to say I tried my best to make a smaller more portable version of it. The only problem is that it can't rely solely on vibrations since my version can't effectively protect its user from absorbing the energy coursing in their hand. I've instead had it rely on sound waves, it won't be anywhere near as strong of course but it should still hit hard enough to disable and kill enemies. It might even be strong enough to break down smaller sized walls but that's still untested."

"It works?" Max spoke up and reached for the glove which the tinkerer handed over. The witch felt at the ridges and tried the glove on herself.

"No." The defeat in his voice was evident. "I need a power source strong enough to power it. I was on the track of a magical amber gem that supposedly exudes energy but that search proved to be fruitless when I found the thing."

"Why?"

"I followed the trail up to a lord somewhere far to the east but after I bargained to obtain it… The thing looks just like a normal jewel. I think the man who told me of it is out there laughing at having made me out to be a fool." Warren looked away in annoyance.

"Can't you substitute it with a different energy source?" Max looked down at the glove, her brow furrowed. The tinkerer shook his head.

"It'd be different if I was just making a solid object, then I'd be able to insert a more powerful energy source inside. As a glove… I don't have the space to do so without making it bulky which would defeat its purpose in a fight." The hunter looked down in disappointment, something like what the tinkerer described would've been a very useful tool. "So you say you've been waiting on me for a week? I gather it must be important business. What can I help you with?" The hunter reached to her bolt bag and pulled a small glass ball from its confines. The man looked at the object in her palm with interest.

"My friend calls it a  _blinder_. She's one of the smartest people I know and this is one of her inventions. I was wondering if you could replicate it. I'd like to get my hands on more but that's currently impossible." She passed the glass ball carefully to the man who only raised an eyebrow in question.

"That's it? You have to give me more than that. I may be a tinkerer but I'm not a miracle worker. What does it do? What components make it up?" The hunter grimaced at his tone but the man wasn't paying attention to her, he was examining the faint white mist inside the glass sphere.  _"He's a professional just like you and now we're speaking his craft. Can't fault the man for being thorough."_ She breathed in and tried to describe it as best she could.

"When the glass breaks, it blinds the opponent with a strong white light. It's very strong, I once used two on a foe in quick succession and was told that it caused severe damage to her eyes."

"Mmhm…" He considered his thoughts for a moment and when he looked up he bit his lip. "The person who made this knew what they were doing. It looks like the inside is a mix of different gasses, they probably react to being exposed to our oxygen. I have no idea how they managed it though or even what they used, I doubt I could recreate it."

"Why couldn't you? Aren't tinkerers supposed to be the smartest people alive?" Warren snorted at that.

"You're a hunter right? So if I told you to take on a creature armed with only a sword, could you do it?"

"I don't see where you're going with this."

"Humor me."

"I probably wouldn't live through the encounter. I'm an expert with crossbows and above average with daggers but swords…" She trailed off.

"Tinkerers have different specialties just like hunters do. I'm an expert in metallurgy, various forms of energy and mechanical processes. My strengths lie with inventions of the sorts, things that deal with gasses and chemical reactions are far out of my league." Warren shrugged and handed back the sphere. "Your friend should apply to the guild, there are few specialized in that field and anyone skilled enough to invent that object you hold would certainly not be turned away without further discussion. If they put in the years and apply themselves, your friend could make it as a tinkerer." Chloe took a scrupulous look around the old wagon.

"It doesn't look like such a glorious profession." He raised an eyebrow in turn.

"The same could be said of yours." Chloe's head suddenly whipped to the side as the glove on Max's hand pulsed a bright blue from the ridges and palm. She noticed that the witch was sweating heavily on her brow with an intense look of concentration donning her face. After a quick moment, the metal glove flickered and rested back in its normal state. "How? That's impossible!" Warren's eyes widened in realization and flashed towards the door. Chloe moved quicker and in a smooth move, she brought herself in between the exit and the tinkerer with her dagger held forward.

"Move and you die. Shout and you die." When the man stood still, the hunter turned to look at the witch. "Max! What the bloody hell were you doing?"

"I'm sorry!" Max looked between the both of them in a panicked fashion. "I didn't think it would work and I certainly didn't think the thing would light up! Don't hurt him Chloe." Her voice was pleading.

"If I let him go then he alerts the guards. Nobody in this city knows of him anyways, it'll be easier to hide the evidence without a fuss." The hunter moved up a step and the tinkerer backed away with his hands raised.

"I won't say anything. My word on it."

"Chloe… please." The hunter hesitated when the witch spoke.  _"Bloody hell."_

"Look, I don't have a side in this fight alright? I'm a bloody tinkerer, I don't care about the guards and I certainly have no reason to want a witch dead. Hell, I've never even met a witch until today." Chloe breathed in harshly and ran her hand over her face.

"Max, get up. We're leaving. Now!" Warren exhaled in relief and sat down hard on the floor. "If I hear so much as a rumor of a witch in Frauy from anyone in this city then I'll hunt you down and put a bolt through your head. Understood?" The man nodded vigorously and Chloe turned to leave with the witch at her heels. The hunter slammed the door shut and resisted the urge to yell out at the sky in frustration as she stomped her way down towards the main path that would lead back to Heindal's Shield.  _"Will this week of bad luck never end?! So much for buying useful weapons made by a tinkerer! The man will out of the Frauy by sunrise and we'll be lucky not to have the city on full alert."_

"Chloe…" The hunter felt a hand grab her left arm and she turned roughly to face the small brunette. Her anger fizzled out quickly at the apologetic look Max was giving her and the hunter steadied her breath to make her body relax.  _"How the hell does she do that? I can't stay mad at her."_

"It's alright Max, just more bad luck. We'll just have to be wary of the city guards for the next few days, maybe he'll even keep his word."

"Thanks for protecting me again." Max moved in and embraced her tightly. Chloe rested her chin on the witch's head and returned the hug.

"No need to thank me for that, I'll always have your back."

"Well… You two look like you've grown much closer since I left. Hope I'm not intruding…" Chloe felt Max stiffen in her arms and they both separated and turned simultaneously to face the source of the voice. In front of the duo stood the oddest looking group Chloe had ever seen. Victoria stood at the forefront with a smirk and an amused glint in her eyes. Chloe's eyes wandered over the body of her fellow hunter and her mouth dropped open in shock. Slither's mercenary armor was damaged by long lacerations that exposed her shirt underneath and the woman's legs and arms sported multiple bandages. Half her face was heavily bruised with a sickly yellow and blue color that spread over her eye, nose, cheek and forehead. Her lip was split open in two places. Chloe heard herself breathe in when she reached the woman's left hand. Where a hand with three fingers had once been weeks prior, now stood a stump just above her wrist. Her entire hand was missing.

"Kate?" Max's voice made Chloe look to the figure in light gray leather stained armor. The hunter once again felt a shock as she stared at the woman she'd met back in Beorf. This person looked completely different from her memories, Kate's face was covered in healed scars which contrasted oddly with the excited smile the woman was directing towards the witch at Chloe's side. The blonde with a tight bun had two short swords at her hips and a short bow attached to her back next to a small quiver. Her eyes and stance really showed the slight difference that only a seasoned fighter would spot. Kate moved towards the witch with a walk that exuded confidence in herself, and she noticed that the warm smile on her face never reached the woman's eyes. Chloe frowned.  _"What happened to you?"_

Her attention shifted next towards the man behind Victoria. The tall man's attire was hardened gray stained leather armor that ran around his chest, arms and legs. He wore short black hair on his head with a trimmed mustache above his lips. If she had to guess, Chloe would call him a soldier or city guard. He looked like a man used to fighting and following command. He had cuts across the armor that covered his lower body and a hole in his shoulder that looked to have been made with an arrow or bolt. His gaze locked with hers and his brown eyes shone with the look of a man evaluating a foe on the battlefield. She frowned when her eyes skimmed over the man once, twice, thrice without spotting a single visible weapon. She could tell that this was a dangerous man.

"Who's he?"

"That's Madsen. I can vouch for him, we'd probably be dead without his help. He's a good man to have on our team."

Chloe nodded, if Slither said so, she'd believe her for now. The man named Madsen grunted in greeting and Chloe noticed a figure moving between his legs.  _"Pompidou?"_ Her eyes instinctively moved behind the two that stood in front of her searching for her longtime friend as she let out a smile of her own. "Frank left Beorf with you? I pleaded with that bloody man so many times to have him come on an adventure with me but he always came up with some excuses. It's about time he left that shitpit." Her eyes kept sweeping behind the group and she frowned as her gaze finally connected with Victoria's. The other hunter wore a bleak expression. Chloe's smile left her lips as she saw her fellow hunter look away.

"Frank… He didn't make it out."

That hurt. She swallowed hard and her eyes started to sting. She felt as if she'd been sucker punched. The hunter turned and looked away as she blinked quickly to no avail as tears ran their way down her cheeks. She sniffed once and was overcome with a powerful need to be away from people. Moving quickly further from the group, Chloe paced faster as she heard Max call out her name behind her. Finally breaking into a sprint around a corner of a shop, the hunter headed away in no particular direction. She didn't know where she was going, only that she needed to go.  _"Not him too."_

She stopped in a desolate area in an alley and she fell to her knees as her chest heaved from both the run and the grief she felt. Tears blurred her vision and she sobbed, holding to her chest.  _"Why me? Why do I keep losing everyone I care about?"_ Agonizing moments passed before Chloe stood and leaned against the door nearest her. She'd told Max that she could count the number of people she cared for left alive on one hand. The sad truth of the statement hit her hard and she cried harder as she remembered the man that taken care of her so many times. Frank had been there when she'd run away from Arcadia to a new unknown city, he'd been there when she needed a job and a place to live, he'd been there when she'd chosen her profession, he'd been there to send her off with gold from his own coffers towards her new adventure, he'd had her back every time she'd come back to that damned city. "I'M SO SICK OF LOSING PEOPLE." The hunter cried out and punched the door hard with her fists with every word. She felt pain spike in her arms and her knuckles ruptured but she kept going, trying to use the pain to distract herself as best she could. When she couldn't stand it any longer, Chloe fell to the stairs and put her bloodied hands over her face. She sobbed and didn't look up when the door behind opened with a slam.

"Who the bloody hell is hitting my door! We aren't opened y…!" The man's voice cut off as he looked to the woman crying at his tavern's door. Chloe didn't care enough to leave, she just stayed there as the man approached her. She felt an apprehensive hand ley on her shoulder. "Rough day?" The voice came out softly. She shook her head weakly and the man lifted her to her feet by the arm and led her inside his tavern. "I've had my fair share of those when I was your age. C'mon in, first drink's on me."

* * *

A/N

Victoria's story ( _Slither_ ) has reached its conclusion at five chapters and ~21k words. If you skipped it and you're interested in seeing what happened in Beorf in further detail, then I recommend checking it out.


	20. Broken

Another mug of ale slid onto the hard wooden bar in her direction and Chloe winced as she picked it up. The hunter had been here for hours and it was now well into the night. She looked to her left at the white haired man serving drinks to the few patrons that were still here. The tavern's owner was a kind old man. After he'd brought her inside and served her a drink, he'd gone out and left her behind only to come back a few minutes later with fresh bandages. The man had insisted on wrapping up her hands and covering the open wounds to prevent infection. Chloe had thanked him and they'd spent the next few hours talking. She learned much of the man's life, most hadn't been good and she found herself being surprised he hadn't given up somewhere down the line. The hunter hadn't shared her own reasons for ending up on his doorstep but the man hadn't pressed. When the local clientele entered, he'd gone to tend to his business and Chloe had stayed to drown her thoughts. As she lifted the mug to her lips with her swollen hand, she thought of how eerily similar this scene was to her. After Rachel's death, it had been fits of explosive rage followed by nights passed out on a bar's floor that had kept her company. Her eyes stung and she distracted herself from that topic. Her thoughts wandered to her mother. She hadn't had any contact with Joyce since she'd left Arcadia, Chloe wondered how a reunion would go. She scowled and slammed the empty mug down.  _"She'd probably cuss me out and send me away. More than enough reasons to do it too."_ Another person took the stool at her right and Chloe turned to glare at them. She wanted to be left alone.

"You know everyone's worried sick about you? You've been gone for a good nine hours." Victoria stared down the tavern owner and motioned for two drinks with her right hand.

"I didn't want any company." Chloe stayed silent while the man filled and passed the drinks along.

"They're looking for you right now. Max was beside herself with worry, she spent the first hour pacing and hoping you'd come back. When you didn't, she recruited Kate and myself to find you." Chloe felt a pang of guilt, she didn't mean to do that to Max but she had just wanted to leave. To be left alone with her thoughts.

"How'd you find me?" Her voice slurred a slight bit and Chloe frowned, she'd drank a lot since entering the tavern. Victoria chuckled.

"I'm a hunter remember? It's my job to find people who don't want to be found. At least it was…" Victoria drank from her mug methodically.

"Was?" Her fellow hunter looked at her and Chloe could see sorrow in her eyes.

"I'm done being a hunter after we win. I'll help you all take down Prescott but after that… If I'm still alive, I'm hanging up my daggers."

"Is this because of your hand?" Victoria nodded and lifted the stump to look at it carefully, she ran her other hand over the rough skin in thought. "You can still adapt and find a way around it." Her friend scowled.

"I don't want to Chloe!" Victoria's voice was suddenly full of anger and bitterness, a few glances were sent towards them but all quickly looked away. "You don't get it yet! You still feel invincible." Victoria looked up at her to make eye contact. "I know that feeling, I've had it all my life. The feeling that nothing can take you down, that you're the best. You acknowledge death but it's an afterthought because you haven't hit that wall yet." She raised her stump between them. "But I hit that wall. Twice. I thought I could adapt when I lost two fingers even though I felt more vulnerable than I ever did. So I kept going and then I lost my hand." The blonde inhaled hard. "What's next Chloe? My arm? My leg? My life? What's it going to take before I realize that I'm not the same fighter I used to be?"

"If you could compensate for the hand…" Victoria cut her off.

"I don't want to die Chloe." The hunter's voice had dropped low, vulnerable. "I thought I was alright with it. You need that attitude to be a great hunter but it's skewered my perception of what's really important. I'm only twenty three years old and I already lost a limb. I don't want to lose my life too." Victoria looked back to her mug but didn't move to pick it up. "You should consider doing the same before you get hurt like I did or worst. Before it's too late."

"I'm not afraid of death."

"It's not about being afraid of death Chloe. It's about wanting to live, really live. To do more than just fighting until a sword takes you down. I'm not scared of my mortality but I just don't see the point in taunting death anymore."

"What would you have me do? Settle down and run an inn like Frank?" She scoffed.

"That's what he wanted to do, living a normal life doesn't mean you have to give up and be bored until you die. If I survive through this, then I'll travel around the country. And when I've had enough of it, I'll help others where I can. Maybe settle down and find someone to spend the rest of my life with."

"I get it."

"No. You don't." Victoria's voice wasn't mocking in any way, just saddened. "Because you haven't hit that wall yet. I just hope that when you do, there'll be someone at your side to pick you back up." Silence overtook the two as neither spoke for a long stretch, each considering their individual thoughts.

"How did he die?" Chloe drank from her mug until she polished off the last of its contents. She didn't want to know right this moment but she asked anyways.

"He died bravely, staring down his enemies until he couldn't. We got ambushed twice in a couple hours, the second one left us bloody beyond recognition. Madsen couldn't shift…"

"Shift?"

"He's an Impact for the Queen's royal guard up north across the border. Or was. I'm sure you've heard stories of their kind just like I did. He can turn his skin into dark green scales and when he does it makes him almost impossible to stop. His strength and invulnerability is a big part of how we managed to escape but he's not immortal, magic can tear right through his kind. He got shot in the shoulder by Bokeh in the fight with a black bolt that melted right through his armor and made his flesh boil. He believes magic was involved and after seeing the Raven's armor, I tend to agree. Anyways, the fight lasted a while and he couldn't hold his shift any longer. Frank had been speared through the chest with a short sword and couldn't even stand without assistance. I had just lost my hand and the blood loss had me weakened more than I've ever been. Kate and Pompidou were the only ones who escaped with minor injuries but they couldn't do much on their own to save us. We were cornered like rats waiting for the cats to turn the corner and rip us to shreds. We all knew someone had to die to give the rest a chance to survive and Frank… He chose to sacrifice himself for the rest of us. I saw him ride off to meet his death, he attracted all their attention long enough for Madsen to muster up enough strength to break through the wall. Bokeh shot the horse from under him and he fell surrounded by the enemy. He stood as best he could to face down his killer."

"Are you sure..?" The question hurt but she needed to know, to be certain. Victoria nodded silently.

"I saw Bokeh shoot him with his crossbow right in the head." Chloe felt her blood boil.  _"I'll get him back for you Frank. I'll avenge your death even if I fall trying."_

"You could go." When Victoria looked at her quizzically, the hunter elaborated. "There's no need for you to stay with us. Nobody knows your face, Slither won't be a victim to Prescott's plans if you lay low and don't attract attention." Victoria smiled.

"They know what I look like now but even if they didn't… I'm seeing this through to the end. I won't leave my friends behind. I couldn't enjoy life under Prescott's rule knowing you all died trying to take him down. I only wish I was still as useful as before." Victoria left arm leaned on the bar and she frowned towards it. "I can't fight like I did, it's not even close." Chloe suddenly stood, stumbling a bit from the alcohol's effect. Her friend looked her over as she struggled to take out her coin pouch from the pocket in her cloak.

"Don't bother." Chloe looked to the source of the voice and saw the old white haired tavern owner looking at her while wiping down a dirty mug. He smiled at her and motioned to the door. The hunter smiled back at the man and felt refreshed for the first time in what felt like days.

"Thank you." The man nodded and went back to tending his tavern while Chloe dragged Victoria by the arm towards the exit. Once she stepped out into the dark city, she breathed in fresh air and shook herself. The hunter still felt very intoxicated.

"You want to go back to Max?" Victoria's amused tone irked her. "I'm sure she's tearing her hair out in worry by now and she'll be able to heal those hands of yours."

"Not yet." Chloe's hands didn't bother her too much right now anyways, the ale she had consumed worked wonders to distract her from her wounds.

"Then where..?" Victoria's puzzled tone made Chloe grow more determined.

"You know the way back to the street where we met?" When Victoria nodded, she continued. "Bring me there, I need to speak to someone."

* * *

Both hunters walked a fast pace down the street leading straight towards Chloe's intended target. Her mind still felt a bit fuzzy but the long walk was sobering her up a bit. She hadn't realized how far she'd ran away in her grief stricken mind and it took a good forty minutes before she even recognized where Victoria was taking her. The blue-scarred hunter glanced at the full moon whose strong light shone bright over the city.

"What happened to Kate?" The question escaped Chloe's lips as she wondered out loud. She could feel Victoria tense at her side. "I noticed she wears short swords at her hips and a bow on her back. From what I remember, she was as close to a pacifist as one could be." Victoria took a long moment to consider her answer.

"She wasn't in a good place when I got to Beorf. Those scars on her face you no doubt saw… They're all over her body. She was tortured at Bokeh's hands for information on our whereabouts. She couldn't provide them with what they wanted so they just worked her under the blades to make tales spread in hopes of having us come back." Chloe felt anger creep its way up.

"I supposed it worked at that. We heard of it quickly."

"Not quickly enough. She was held prisoner for too long and something broke inside of her. I don't think Kate can even tell but I saw it the moment I laid eyes on her. Somewhere down the line after seeing her family slaughtered, her friends attacked and her own vulnerability at the hand of any who would raise it against her… She snapped. I saw her threaten a lord to his face, she told him that she would hunt down the men involved and make them beg for death. Later I saw her take down that very same man and cut off his head without hesitation." Chloe's eyes widened but she didn't feel too much surprise in the revelation. Even the most passive of animals could turn deadly when cornered and wounded.

"Kate… I noticed she now walks with a fighter's stance. She didn't pick that up randomly. You've been training her." The observation made her fellow hunter glare back as they walked down the dark road.

"And what would you have me do? You didn't see her that night after Frank's death… After we escaped Boerf. She blames herself. She thinks that if she hadn't been such a liability on the field, then Frank would've been protected instead of her and as a result he might've survived the battle." Chloe frowned and she let out a small breath.

"She's right." Victoria grimaced and she clenched her fist at Chloe's words.

"I know. Madsen covered her for the duration of the fight and Frank went into it wounded. He should've been the one under the Impact's protection, I couldn't offer him enough on my own."

"I knew him well and I have no doubt Frank wouldn't have had things unfold any other way. He cared for others deeply even if he tried not to show it and if he had to trade his life for the three of yours… He would take that deal ten times out of ten."

"But it still doesn't make Kate's pain go away." Chloe nodded in agreement. "She blames herself for my lost hand, her family's death… everything that went down in the city. She thinks that if she'd been able to defend herself properly then maybe the outcomes would've been different. Her perspective has shifted hard. That night when I saw her grip the swords by the camp's fire, her eyes shone with a mix of anger and new found purpose."

"Max won't like this."

"It's not up to her. It's not up to any of us. Who are we to judge her decision? I've been a hunter all my life, same as you. We've killed so many and not all deserved it, I'd even argue that most didn't." Victoria stopped walking and looked straight at Chloe. "Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that she's wrong for feeling the need to protect herself? That she's wrong for wanting revenge on those who wronged her?"

"No. But this isn't about what I believe. You think two weeks of training will make her any less of a liability? It takes years to become an expert with blades Vic. If I let her come into battle with us then she'll be at risk. She could die."

"Any of us could die in this fight, why should her choice to risk her life be any less important than ours? Madsen and I have been training her on the way here and while she's nowhere near an expert, she is certainly no slouch. She works hard, she's focused and she learns quickly. She's fueled by determination that I've rarely seen others display. I don't have time to make her a master before we get to this journey's end but I swear on my mother's grave that I'll make bloody sure that she's as ready as she can be." Chloe looked at Victoria and nodded. They both once again started to walk on the dark path ahead. Chloe smiled and felt a sense of relief when she spotted her destination in the distance. "Anyways, Frank's bloody mutt will more than make up for any weaknesses the woman shows." Chloe's eyebrows rose and she looked at her fellow hunter in disbelief.

"What?!" Victoria laughed when she turned to meet Chloe's eyes. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Well, safe to say that Frank didn't tell you of his dog's true nature. Wait till you see him in action Blue, I've seen him rip through armor and limbs with less effort than Madsen himself. I don't know why he's taken such a liking to Kate, Frank was shocked that she could approach him when the beast was 'enraged', but the dog has taken her on as a new owner. He follows her everywhere and she takes good care of him. When I spar with her and she falls, that dog is right there to take me down to ground in her defense. I'm pretty sure I'd be dead a few times over if Kate hadn't commanded him to stop."

"That… sounds… I have a hard time believing you aren't screwing with me." Victoria chuckled in mirth.

"You'll see it soon enough with your own eyes I wager. Kate's been training the dog on her spare time to listen to her commands in battle, that duo'll be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Of that I have no doubt. In the meantime, I think Pompidou might be just what she needs to make up for her lack of experience in fighting." Chloe didn't voice her doubts. The hunter still wasn't sure if she was being made out to be a fool.  _"Frank did say that the mutt could take down any who caused problems in his inn. But… let's be realistic. A battle hound that looks like that? I don't know…"_ Chloe finally stopped and Victoria turned to her. "Why are we stopped? The inn's further down that way. She pointed to the path over at their right with her left hand and scowled at the stump. "Bloody useless thing."

"I told you I wasn't going to the inn yet." She looked pointedly at the other hunter's missing hand. "You mentioned at the bar that you can't fight like before, that it's not even close. Well, we're here because I want to change that. I need you to be as close to your old self against Prescott. We can't win this without your help and I refuse to let you into battle with a missing limb." Victoria looked confused and Chloe didn't bother to answer her. She turned and headed to their left towards a nomadic yellow wagon that was still parked where it had been earlier. The owner of the wagon had clearly not gone to sleep, Chloe could see some light escape the boarded up windows. When she arrived at the door, she slammed her fist hard down onto it a few times.

"Wait a bloody minute!" She heard shuffling inside and the voice spoke up nearer. "I'm leaving tomorrow so if this about a job, you better forget it! I…" The tinkerer's eyes open wide and he tried to slam the open door shut on her face. Chloe was faster and she ripped the door from his grasp and swung it back open. Warren fell to the ground inside the wagon and he scrambled away on his bottom with his hands and legs as fast as he could muster. The hunter stepped in and motioned behind her for Victoria to join her. "I didn't tell anyone! I swear I didn't! You have to believe me, why would I still be here if I told them? Please!"

"What in God's name did you do to the man Chloe? He looks terrified out of his mind." Chloe scowled which did nothing to improve the tinkerer's state of mind. He looked like a rabbit caught in a snare.

"Quiet Vic!" She moved up and offered her hand to the fallen man. "I'm not here to kill you, I want to apologize." Warren took a long moment to look between her hand and face, incision apparent all over his face. "I swear it on my father's name, I only came here to make amends and ask for your help."

"Ask for my help?" The man slapped her hand away and anger overtook his features. "You tried to kill me! The only reason you stopped was because of that brunette woman. You threaten me in my own home and then have the gall to ask me for my assistance? Burn you! I won't raise a bloody finger to help you!" Chloe's features darkened and he stepped back a pace. He seemed to realize how far he'd gone but to his credit, he didn't back down and go back to pleading for his life.  _"At least he's got a spine, bad time to show it though."_  Chloe sat down in the same seat she'd taken earlier that day and she ran a hand through her hair. Her scar was glowing brightly since the oil lamp was no further than a hand span away. Giving herself a moment to breathe out and relax, Chloe closed her eyes and leaned the back of her head on the wall. She could feel the tension in the air, neither Warren nor Victoria spoke a word. She opened her eyes and motioned for the tinkerer to sit which he did hesitantly after a moment of internal deliberation.

"I know it's hard to see through my eyes but I ask that you try. I'm sure you know how witches are perceived." He shook his head slowly in ascent. "Well, I didn't see you as a man earlier, I saw you as a threat. You saw what Max did and I only perceived someone who could bring her to the hangman's noose if left alive. I jumped to a quick conclusion and reacted as a hunter would. For that, I apologize." She paused and waited to see his reaction. Warren shuffled uncomfortably but he let out a small smile, albeit an awkward one.

"I suppose I can see that. She's certainly one of the most… intriguing women I've come across in my travels. I could see why you'd want to protect her." Warren's eyes seemed to light up at the memory and Chloe felt her fists tighten at her side. She unconsciously glared daggers at the tinkerer. A smothered chuckle made her head whip back to Victoria who was now seemingly engrossed in the floor's wooden pattern. The hunter unclenched her fists and tried her best to look back at Warren nonthreateningly.

"Right. She certainly is. I acted brashly and it caused what I thought was a pretty good meeting to come to a premature end." The tinkerer nodded.

"You never did get to tell me the full reason you waited for me. I can't imagine it was only to replicate that blinder of yours." Victoria feet shifted on the floor and Chloe couldn't help but let out a smirk.  _"That's right! You remember those really well don't you?"_

"To tell you the truth, I'm getting a crew assembled to take down a pretty powerful target. I needed someone like you to resupply and upgrade anything I could. Weapons and equipment mostly. Anything that could push the edge in our favor when the fight comes around." Warren's face shone with unrestrained curiosity.

"A hunter's contract that even someone as famous as you can't handle alone? Must be someone powerful indeed. If you come back tomorrow it would give me time to gather some of my inventions and blueprints that could be of interest." Chloe smiled at the response, despite the bad impression she had showed off, the man seemed to be back to his easygoing self.

"I have one more thing to ask of you that requires special attention." The man seemed intrigued at her tone and Chloe motioned for Victoria to step closer. When she did, the hunter grabbed onto her left wrist and raised it. "Vic over here is one of the top tier hunters right along with me but she lost a hand in a fight recently. I remembered you mentioning earlier that you couldn't make the metal glove work since a power source large enough to make it work would be bulky and awkward in a fight. She won't have that problem since a glove would be of no use to her anyway, the power source could be placed where her hand normally would be. Is there a way you could fabricate a similar weapon but functioning?" The tinkerer looked more and more engrossed and excited as she spoke further. She could see the man concentrate hard, he seemed to take the request as a challenge.

"There are a lot of variables to consider. How to attach it to her wrist without risking further injury or losing accuracy and mobility. How to control the device considering she can't use her fingers to trigger and cycle through the strength levels. How much weight can be placed on her hand without throwing off her natural balance. What kind of power source I can use. How to properly maintain it and make it easy to take apart for quick repairs. I'll need measurements and many tests…"

"How long would this take? And the cost?" Warren seemed to run calculations in his head and he mumbled under his breath in thought.

"A month at least and that's just for that weapon. The time increases for every other device or equipment you decide that you want me to craft tomorrow. As for payment, I'll only ask for enough to cover the costs of the materials used. We can decide on an appropriate price for my work later. I'd say that you'll probably require anywhere from four hundred to five hundred gold coins for simply that device. Since she'll be using it as basically another appendage, I would recommend not going cheap. The best parts and materials will be very expensive and employing the top blacksmiths and other specialized workers I'll need will also fetch a heavy sum." Chloe's mouth dropped open.

"Five hundred gold coins?! I don't have nearly enough to cover that!"

"I don't make the price. You want high quality weapons? Those don't come cheap. I didn't even include my labor costs since I figure you can scrounge up the coin needed to pay me while we stay in the city and wait for my work to be completed. A hunter like you should be able to make that kind of coin fairly quickly."

"It won't be necessary." Both heads turned to Victoria who was leaning on the closed door. "Frank loaded up our saddles with all the coin he had to his name before we were going to leave that city. He mentioned he had close to four hundred gold coins acquired over his life. We should be able to cover the rest of the cost easily between us. That's without taking on contracts while in the city, if we're going to be staying here a while then we might as well increase our coffers while we wait. That should give us enough for any weapons or equipment we need as well as whatever he can craft to replace my hand." Chloe's thoughts ran a mile a minute.  _"This can work, we'll only have to waste a month, two months tops in Frauy. It also gives us time to train Kate further and gain more coin for payment and expenses. By the time we leave, our group will be geared up for the fight and we can concentrate more on other tasks like recruitment and getting those magical artifacts Max wanted."_ Chloe smiled broadly.

"What do you say?" Warren asked but he seemed to already know the answer as he stuck his hand out.

"It's agreed."


	21. Honoring The Fallen

A chilly breeze passed through Chloe's hooded cloak and she shivered slightly. After setting up a time to meet tomorrow at noon, both hunters had started the small trek back to Heindal's Shield. They hadn't spoken much, Chloe herself was busy thinking of what weapons the tinkerer could manage to craft for her. She suspected that Victoria's thoughts were on the metal glove they had just discussed. It would be a change, she'd have to adapt once again to a new style of fighting and it would require a lot of training and dedication.  _"If anyone can do it, it's her."_  Chloe reached over to the heavy maple door that stood underneath the inn's sign. Painted onto the sign dangling from a pole sticking over the entrance was a round silver buckler bearing an angry black bear foaming at the mouth. Light and sound flooded the dark street when the hunter opened the door. The common room was pretty crowded for the time, Chloe walked in and counted a good dozen patrons eating and talking around large tables. Victoria moved ahead of her towards a secluded table closer to the corner by a fairly big fireplace. The large rectangular table was occupied by Kate, Max and Madsen with Frank's dog curled up at the blonde's feet. The two women wore worried expression. Chloe followed the hunter and cringed inwardly when she saw Max's concerned gaze sweep over her.

"Chloe!" The witch got up quickly and trapped her in a strong hug. "I was so worried that something might've happened to you." The hunter closed her eyes and moved her arms around the small brunette to return the embrace. "The way you left…" Max's voice had lowered to almost a whisper.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just needed some time to process things" she whispered back.

"I get it, really. But next time… Let me help you. You aren't in this alone. I've got your back." The witch's words helped soothe the sorrow Chloe felt at the moment. The hunter didn't know how Max did it but that was exactly what she needed to hear.  _"I'm so bloody lucky to have you as a friend."_ She heard someone clearing their voice and she opened her eyes. Victoria was sitting in a chair next to Kate, staring with a big grin on her face. Kate was studiously looking down at her own clasped hands while Madsen was staring away hard towards the fireplace. The hunter suddenly felt very self-conscious and she carefully pried herself from the witch's grasp. Chloe felt her face heat up and she pulled out a chair to sit down all the while glaring as best she could towards her fellow hunter. Max followed suit and sat herself next to Chloe with a faint redness on her freckled cheeks.

"So I managed to talk the tinkerer into doing business with us after all." Chloe spoke quickly. Max shuffled next to her and spoke up.

"How did you manage that? Last time we spoke to him, you threatened to kill him." She turned her head to look at the witch. The fireplace's flickering light shone faintly over her features, accentuating her deep blue eyes. She thought they looked more clear and beautiful than any sapphires Chloe had ever seen. She must've taken too long to answer because Max finally frowned. "Are you alright?" The hunter quickly tore her gaze away.

"I… Uh…" She cleared her throat and looked forward awkwardly.  _"What the bloody hell was that?"_

"She's had a lot to drink. I found her with a dozen empty mugs at a tavern a good hour's walk from here. I'm surprised she hasn't passed out yet." Chloe let out a soft quiet breath.  _"Thank you Vic."_

"It's been a tough day." The innkeeper made her way to their table and Chloe lifted her right hand to gesture for a full round. The slim woman nodded and departed back to the bar to fill up the order.

"What happened to your hands?" Kate's soft voice sprung up from across the table, she looked over the blonde who was worriedly eyeing the blood stained bandages around Chloe's knuckles. The hunter lowered her hand to the table and shrugged awkwardly.

"Like I said, it's been a tough day." Max reached over to take her hand and unwrap the bandage.

"Here, let me." The witch carefully covered up the split knuckles with her palm. A numb tingling sensation passed through and when Max removed her hand, the wound was gone. Chloe still deliberately avoided looking her friend in the eyes as the witch unwrapped and healed her left hand.

"Thank you."

"Kate told me what went down in Beorf. I'm so sorry about Frank, I know he was a close friend." Max's voice brought up emotions Chloe had tried to bury before entering the establishment. She felt her eyes sting but she managed to control herself a bit better than earlier.

"He was one of the best men I knew." The innkeeper came back with a full tray and clearly felt the mood at the table. The woman quietly laid the five mugs of ale in the center of the table before leaving. The hunter reached for one and motioned for the others to do the same. "Frank was always there for me when it felt like I didn't have anyone left. I wouldn't be here today without his help. I miss him already." Chloe looked down, she heard the Impact clear his throat.

"Frank was a good soldier. He faced down overwhelming odds while sporting a serious injury without a second thought. I've seen too many men flee in those same circumstances but not him. He was a brave man." Madsen's gruff voice gave way to Victoria's as they each took turns to speak a few words about their fallen friend.

"He was the only person I could rely on when I entered the city. He offered to help even knowing the risks that accompanied it and still he didn't hesitate. Frank sacrificed himself to help us escape, we'd all be dead without him. I owe him my life."

"I didn't know Frank other than by Chloe's stories. But in every one of them, it was clear that he was a man that cared for his friends deeply. I wish I could have met him." Max spoke softly to the hunter's right. A small quiet moment fell over the group.

"I can't help but feel that I'm responsible for what happened to you Frank." Kate was looking to the ceiling, her left hand clasped around the small silver cross that hung from her neck. Tears were trickling down the blonde's cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I keep wishing that things could've worked out differently. But the past is that. You've given me a second chance at life, I want you to know I won't waste it. We'll take him and all his allies down, you've my word on that. Your death will not be in vain." The group looked back to Chloe. The hunter raised her mug, a gesture that was repeated around the table.

"To Frank." The words were echoed around the table and Chloe tilted back her head back to take a large drink.

* * *

Chloe woke up in the morning to a throbbing headache and a parched throat. The hunter grunted in discomfort with her eyes squinted to escape the painful light breaching through the window. She reached over to the small nightstand with her left arm to get a hold of the glass of water she placed there before going to sleep. Chloe frowned at the weight that had stopped her movement in its tracks. She opened her eyes fully to see Max laying on her outstretched limb. She frowned in confusion until memories flooded back into her. The hunter remembered that they'd opted to share Chloe's room when the innkeeper had explained that only one more was still available. Madsen had taken that one as the only man of the group while Victoria, Kate and Pompidou had moved into Max's old room. The small brunette was wearing a blue shirt and gray shorts, she looked peaceful. Her brown hair was jumbled over her pillow and her soft breathing made it clear to the hunter that she still slept soundly. Chloe stared softly at her sleeping friend's face.  _"She's so…"_  She didn't finish that thought. Retracting her arm slowly so as not to disturb Max, she pulled it from underneath the woman's stomach. Max groaned in discomfort and her eyes fluttered open to connect with her own.

"Good morning." Max rubbed at her eyes with her fist. "I didn't mean to wake you but I've got to go meet Victoria and the tinkerer soon." The witch grumbled under her breath and stretched out her arms and legs in all directions. "You don't need to be here for the meeting, stay and go back to sleep."

"I'm alright." Max sat on the bed with her back straight and looked out the small window. "It looks like we're about to reach noon and I don't want to waste the day. I'll come along with you." The witch smiled brightly and Chloe couldn't help but feel a small flutter in the pit of her stomach.

"Uh… Sure." The hunter looked away and moved off the bed to stand on the wooden floor of the room. Reaching to the ceiling on the tip of her toes, Chloe stretched as far as she could. She felt her shoulders and knees crack in a satisfying way. "Let's get dressed. Hopefully Vic is already awake and waiting for us in the common room."

* * *

Victoria had been waiting in the common room when the pair finally made their way down. Max and Chloe had joined the table and they had partaken in a small breakfast made up mostly of ham and eggs. A quick discussion revealed that Kate followed by Pompidou had gone out with Madsen already for their daily training session, something that Max was clearly still very uncomfortable with. Chloe thought that it would be a while before the small brunette would come to accept that her friend had changed. The three of them were now walking down the street that would eventually lead to the tinkerer's wagon. Chloe was enjoying the fresh morning air while Victoria and Max talked about random topics. The sun shone over the street and the hunter found herself reminiscing on all the good memories she had of her fallen friend. Unfortunately, her thoughts couldn't help themselves to quickly spiral down towards revenge and anger on the crossbow wielding man who had taken Frank's life. She formed a fist unconsciously and scowled.  _"When I find that bloody man…"_ A hand took a hold of hers and Chloe's dark thoughts shattered. She glanced to her right at Max who was frowning back at her with a concerned look. Victoria was still unaware of the silent interaction as she rambled on about the new invention she hoped Warren could create. Neither said anything and they continued to walk in silence hand in hand towards the yellow nomadic wagon appearing in the distance.

"Open up!" Victoria reached the wagon first and slammed her fist hard onto the wooden door. She was clearly feeling excited by the prospect of getting a weapon that could replace her missing hand. Max's hand slipped away and Chloe found herself missing the sensation immediately. The old yellow door opened up wide and Warren stepped out. He lowered himself on the top stair with a grunt. His clothing was unkempt, his choppy brown hair stuck out in various odd directions and his eyes were blood shot.  _"I'd guess that he hasn't slept all night. Gotta admire the man's dedication to his craft."_

"Morning." The man yawned halfway through the word.

"You look terrible." Chloe's flat statement made Warren chuckle.

"That's what happens when a new client shows up during the day and threatens you, then comes back at night to ask for assistance all the while requesting a meeting in the morning. I've been gathering plans and items as well as thinking up some new ideas for inventions you may find useful. Figured I'd just catch some shut-eye once we finish up." Another yawn slipped out. His eyes swept over the witch at her side and Warren stood a bit straighter with a growing smile.

"I'd like to thank you for helping us out… I know most people are uncomfortable around my kind." Max spoke quietly while glancing around them to make sure nobody was within earshot. The tinkerer looked full of energy as he attentively listened to her words. "Few would agree to offer the kind of assistance you have, especially after what happened yesterday. We certainly didn't make the best of first impressions." Max raised an eyebrow towards Chloe and continued with a small smile. "Some of us are a little overprotective."

"Don't worry about it, she already apologized for it last night. I'm a firm believer in moving forward so that's what we'll do. Anyways, I'm not wealthy enough to just let an opportunity like this run away. When people hear that I geared up a hunter as famous as she is for a difficult contract, it will be a huge boost to my name. I've been a tinkerer just under a full year and I haven't had the chance to make myself well known. I see this as an investment towards my future." Warren smiled broadly. "I also would feel terrible for letting you go into a tough fight without the best equipment available. Are you ready to see what I've come up with?" Warren got up and offered his hand to Max while gesturing inside the wagon.

"Yes… Let's see it." Max nodded and took the tinkerer's hand. Chloe's dark stare bore straight through the man's back as both went deeper inside the wagon.

"Seems our resident tinkerer had taken a liking to Max."

"Sure seems like it." Chloe's voice came out a bit rougher than she intended. Victoria brushed past her with a chuckle to walk up the stairs and join the duo already inside. Chloe followed right after her. The small wagon felt very constricted with the four of them inside, Warren once again cleared the small bench of trinkets. Max sat herself down and gestured for Chloe to sit beside her but the hunter pointedly ignored it and elected to stand by the door away from the witch. Max frowned in confusion and Victoria took the opportunity to sit herself down and stretch her legs as far as they could go. Warren rummaged through the box of papers and objects behind him on the small bed, an occasional mumble escaping his lips as he sifted through a small pile of diagrams.

"There we go!" He turned around holding a very thin stack of white papers. He handed them out to Max who glanced through them quickly and passed them down to Victoria. "The first one on top is what I want to build for… I don't think I caught your name yesterday?" He stared quizzically at the short haired hunter.

"Victoria."

"The weapon I want to build for Victoria." Chloe received the papers and she looked over the diagram on the top page. It showed a metal block much larger than her closed fist with a hole where a wrist would rest, it expanded in width nearer its end. A circle with small lined ridges connected to it, like the one on the metal glove, was on the flat part that would be pointed at an enemy. It was about eight inches long with leather straps and what looked like a metal sleeve attached to the bottom. "The size isn't too bulky and I'd be using a more lightweight and durable metal made of my own invention. The power source will be installed where the hand normally would be and it'll be attached to the arm and shoulder by four durable leather straps treated with a substance that tinkerer's use to increase most materials' durability. The sleeve will be made of the same soft metal as the glove is. It'll serve as more insurance and combined with the straps, it will ensure that the weapon stays in place on her wrist in the most heated of combats. Even a strong concussive force won't be able to dislodge it. The weapon itself will be very durable, it won't be like a sword or axe. It can and will take a beating if it comes to it and I assure you that short of being struck by lightning, my weapon will not be damaged easily." Chloe whistled appreciatively and Victoria had a big smile over her face.

"How soon can you start work on it?" Max wondered out loud.

"I'll be buying the materials and getting access to a forge and master blacksmith so… End of the week? I also need Victoria to meet with me tomorrow so I can change the dimensions accordingly."

"I'll come by at noon." Victoria answer came out quickly. She had an expression that was eerily similar to Chloe's old cat Bongo when he caught the occasional inattentive bird.

"The second plan is for you." Warren turned his gaze towards Chloe and she flipped the page to look at the next design. Her eyes widened and she carefully read through he small notes attached to the bottom. She felt herself grow more excited and a small smile formed on her face. "It's a smaller version of a crossbow that can be held and shot with one hand, it uses shorter bolts. It will be much quicker to reload in the heat of battle and will be able to shoot a good thirty yards out. I'll outfit it with multiple versions of bolts that I think will come in handy. Broadhead of course to pierce through armor at close range and two bolts with customized ends. The first has a half inch ball as a head and will release a mild concussive force on impact, it'll be useful to disorient an unarmored foe or a group in a small cluster. The second is very effective against single targets, it has an inch and a half ball as a head so it won't go as far as the other two, maybe up to fifteen yards but more likely ten. It will send out a strong electric current when it makes contact with any metallic surface. Armored foes will loses movement in their limbs momentarily and collapse to the ground which will allow you to close the gap and finish them off with minimum amounts of effort. I'll make you twenty broad head bolts since those should be used primarily, I'll also give you a diagram of its dimension so you can get any weapon maker to craft more when you run out. I'll then make five for each of the other types, I recommend saving those for a special occasion since they will be impossible to make without making contact with me." Chloe looked over the small crossbow's diagram with unrestrained glee. She could already see herself taking down an enemy trying to rush her with a sword.  _"I won't be fully reliant on daggers at close range anymore."_

"It looks great!"

"The third isn't for anyone in particular but I suppose our two hunters are the more likely ones to use it." Chloe flipped over to the next page and saw a large round metallic oval with small thin lines permeating its surface. It was the size of a large fist and the length of her hand. "You gave me the idea with your so called  _blinder_. This will work by pressing down on a small trigger at the bottom, it's made to be hard to break from the outside but easy to break from the inside."

"From the inside?" Victoria was fully engrossed in the discussion, her eyes never left the tinkerer.

"Once pressed, you throw the oval towards your foes. A small blast will erupt from inside and break its surface about ten seconds later. Then hundreds of sharp tiny pieces of metal will be sent flying at high speeds towards any standing in a radius of… ohh… twenty to thirty yards? Yeah, that sounds about right. The metal pieces will rip through and embed themselves in flesh easily so it will be useful against both unarmored and armored foes since necks, sides and eyes are usually exposed. I'll make you ten total."

"Any chance it will accidentally be triggered?" Max's voice was filled with worry.

"Slim maybe but it won't be because of a fault in my device. You'd have to press the trigger accidentally but I'll can come up with a way of making sure it doesn't get pressed carelessly. Maybe a hatch over the trigger or something like that? Keep in mind that none of these designs are fully done yet, I'll need to test them out and work out any kinks. Building them will be relatively easy, perfecting them is what will increase the timeline. The final design is for armor. It will be very thin interweaved metal mesh slipped inside leather chest, leg and arm pieces. It will cover vital arteries from damage better than hardened leather armor. It won't stop a sword or arrow from cutting you down but it will deflect a glancing or flimsy blow from a blade. I'll make enough for however many of you there are now. I'll need measurements from you all but that will be the last diagram to be worked so it won't be needed for some time. I can make all four of these in two months' time in the quantity stated."

"What about something for me?" Warren turned his head towards Max and he awkwardly ran a hand through his choppy hair.

"Honestly, I kinda figured you would be alright with just protection. I mean… What could I even make that a witch can't conjure with ten times the destruction and effectiveness?"

"He's got a point Max." The witch sighed and leaned back against the wall of the wagon.

"Gold coins?" Chloe hated asking that question. She could already see that this would cost in the thousands.

"Two thousand. Labor included. The materials will cost me around one thousand gold coins. The other half for my work can be given at the end of our business, this should give you all enough time to get the coin required. I'll need five hundred at the start of the first month to work on Victoria's weapon and five hundred at the start of the second to make the other three."

"We have over five hundred right now." Chloe spoke up in thought. "Victoria can give it to you when she sees you tomorrow and I'll find work to help cover the rest." Warren nodded and gestured for the papers she held. Chloe gave them back and he fell back onto his small bed with a  _thump_.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I think it's time I catch some sleep. My eyes feel like they've been staring at the sun for an hour." Chloe opened the door and walked outside. She made her way towards the inn when the two other women joined her.  _"Damn tinkerer better follow through in quality for that amount of bloody coins."_


	22. A Night Of Carousing

Chloe's eyes narrowed a fraction as she focused all her attention on the opponent in front of her. She was meticulous in her evaluation, no details were insignificant enough for the blue-scarred hunter to overlook. The blue eyes of the woman in front of her flickered down to what she held in her hands for less than a second, the beginnings of a smirk was tugging slightly at the corner of her lips. It never materialized all the way however.  _"She's confident… Or is that what she wants me to think? She might be trying to lull me into a false sense of security thinking that I figured her out."_ Chloe didn't move or breathe for a long moment. She didn't want anything distracting her, this would be too important. The opponent's eyes met hers and the hunter let a smile pass over her to try and get into her head and throw her off the woman's game.  _"What are you thinking?"_  A loud  _smack_  of an open palmed hand slamming down onto the table made both Chloe and Max break eye contact and stare towards Victoria who had a very annoyed expression gracing her face.

"You've been staring at each other for five bloody minutes! I've on my last vestige of patience! Go or lose your bloody turn!" Max and Kate both simultaneously broke into loud fits of laughter at Victoria's outburst which only served to make the hunter scowl in further annoyance. Warren and Madsen exchanged a glance and chuckled lightly, neither had much invested in the game. They'd both been booted out of it an hour ago and had opted to spend the time talking of the Impact's homeland while waiting for its conclusion. Chloe couldn't help but join in the laughter herself, the hilarity was contagious. The three women took several long moments to recover. Chloe's stomach hurt and her breath was a bit short. She snickered when her eyes met Max's and both started up again once more. Victoria slammed her fist down angrily. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you two?!" Kate wiped tears of mirth from the corner of her hazel eyes. The two men to Chloe's right were both smiling at the loud antics of the group.

"It's her fault!" Chloe pointed at the witch who slapped her hand away playfully.

"What? It's your turn! I'm just waiting for you to make a move! I swear you're the most indecisive person I've ever met." Max drank some of her cup of chilled wine, her smile never fully leaving her.

"What you call indecisive is what I call cautious and calculating. That also happens to be why I'm so successful as a hunter."

"I'm starting to think that luck may have played a bigger factor in that particular endeavor." Chloe's mouth dropped open and she put her hand to her chest in mock outrage.

"How. Dare. You." Chloe grabbed at the green grapes inside a small wooden bowl of fruits in the center of the table and threw a handful at the witch who covered herself with her hands outstretched. The grapes connected with her hands and scattered to the floor. The hunter grabbed one who rolled back towards her on the table and tried again. This time the woman across from her caught it deftly with her open mouth. Max smirked as she chewed the small fruit, amusement sparkling in her eyes.

"You'll have to do better than that Chloe." Victoria's head made a soft  _thump_  against the wooden table. A loud exasperated sigh escaped her lips. "Let's get on with it before Vic loses her mind."

"Thank you!" Victoria raised her head from the table shook it in good humor. Kate flipped a coin with her thumb and the short haired hunter snatched it out of the air with a victorious smile. Kate reached for it to no avail as Victoria held it away with a laugh.  _"This is what we needed!"_  It had been a few days since they'd paid the tinkerer his coin to start on the weapons needed for the upcoming battle. Those days had been long for them all. The group from Beorf had needed time to recover from their arduous journey and what they had faced in the damned city. The three had rarely gotten out of the inn. Chloe had been no better, she had moped around for the most part. Frank's death had weighed heavy on her and even Max's constant attempts at lifting her mood didn't help. Warren had been the one to suggest taking a night off yesterday when Victoria had gone to see him. So the group had made their way to a large rowdy tavern in the middle of the city square called  _The Pip_. As it turned out, taking the night to enjoy themselves and their friends' company had been the solution to the dark mood that had overtaken them. The last few hours had been spent drinking, gambling and laughing.

Chloe collected the cards she had dropped earlier onto the table face down when had been startled. She looked over her hand with a steady eye… Three twos, a four and a ten. The suits of the various cards didn't matter to her, she was betting on the three of a kind to win. A small pile of copper and silver coins were collected by the deck and the abandoned cards. Madsen, Kate and Warren looked at her in pointed interest, all three had lost their coin and lost one after the other. The first out had been Kate, the fact that the small blonde wasn't well versed in gambling and games of deceit had surprised exactly no one. She'd given her best try but everyone had been able to read her as clearly as a scroll in daylight. A few rounds later and the game had taken its second casualty in the form of Warren. The tinkerer had grown more and more brash after winning a few hands in a row and Victoria had taken the opportunity to take him down hard. Four tens had trumped the man's hand which consisted of five cards of the same suit. He'd gambled everything into that hand and the hunter had laughed as she dragged his large pile to merge it with her own. Madsen had been the third to lose. A large betting triangle consisting of the two hunters and himself had led to a large sum in the center of the table. The Impact was in too deep so he did the only he could, he powered on and bet what he had left on his hand. Chloe's victory had given the man the metaphorical boot and crippled the other hunter who now hung onto her last few coins. Many hands had passed as Max had slowly but surely taken the upper hand back from Chloe. The hunter had been shocked at the small brunette's skill at playing cards. She'd shown throughout the game a ruthless and manipulative style of play as she maneuvered her friends into doing as she wished. Chloe was great at cards, years under the tutelage of Frank combined with tons of practice at whatever tavern she came across in her travels had done its job. And yet… Max was just as good, if not better.  _"How the hell are you so bloody great at this?"_

"I can see right through you…" Max's smile broadened at the hunter's words, her face was a mask of satisfaction.  _"I have no idea what she's thinking… shit."_ Chloe matched and raised Max's initial bet of three silver coins with two more of her own. She smirked when the witch's brow furrowed. Victoria grunted and slid the few coppers she had left towards the middle. It wasn't enough to fully match but Chloe wasn't overly concerned with her fellow hunter. The only person that mattered right now was Max. The witch looked back up and made eye contact, she was biting slightly down on her lower lip. She slid two silver coins to the pile.

"Cards?" Madsen's gruff voice broke the silence and the hunter slid the ten and four facedown towards the Impact. He gave her back two more, a pair of aces. Chloe didn't let any excitement show in her face, she deliberately squinted ever so slightly and gripped a bit harder onto the hand until a bit of white showed on her knuckles. She smirked internally when she spotted Max's eyes look down.  _"Set the bait."_ She looked back up and gave a small smile.  _"Let her think I'm bluffing."_ She placed her left hand down casually near her pile of coins to reinforce the thought. "Vic?" The other hunter slid three cards towards the man and received three new ones in exchange. Victoria's face didn't reveal anything. "Max?" The witch smiled at Madsen and shook her head, refusing to swap a card out. Chloe could feel her stomach drop.  _"Is she bluffing too? There's no way she's got as good a hand that she can't make it better. Right?"_ As her internal monologue played out, Max seemed to grow even more amused, as if she could read the hunter's thoughts. Everyone at the table was enraptured in what was unfolding. Chloe hesitated for a fraction of a second as she considered folding.  _"She wants me to fold. Stick to the plan."_

"All in." The hunter slid her big pile of coins to the middle. Vic grunted in exasperation, she couldn't match the bet so she'd be dealing with a side pot. Madsen's eyebrows rose at the unexpected move. Max seemed to examine her opponent carefully, trying to judge whether Chloe was bluffing.  _"C'mon Max, go in… I know you want to."_

"All in." Max slid her own pile towards the hunter and Chloe didn't even try to suppress the large grin on her face. Max didn't seem fazed at the victorious expression the hunter showed, she kept her small smile. "You were trying to make me match by acting like you had nothing… I know you have a good hand, I can see it in your eyes."

"And still you went all in…" Chloe dropped her hand on the table revealing the three twos and the two aces. Warren slapped his hands together with a chuckle and Kate breathed out in disappointment at the hunter's hand, making it evident who each had been hoping would win. Victoria scowled and threw her hand face down on the pile of abandoned cards. Madsen didn't react, he was looking at the witch with unrestrained interest. Chloe's smile threatened to split her face in two.

"Because I know I had better." Max dropped her own hand carefully and Chloe's smile vanished to give way to open mouthed disbelief. The small brunette revealed a five, six, seven, eight and nine of the same suit. "Bow to your master!" Kate shrieked and started to laugh with giddiness. She was joined by Madsen and even Victoria who seemed happier to have her fellow hunter lose alongside herself. Warren slapped Chloe's shoulder amicably.

"I really thought you had her."

"So did I…" Max dragged the large pile of coins towards her own. She enlisted Kate's help with filling two small leather bags with her earnings. Going as far as to make a show of tipping the blonde with two silver coins from what had been Chloe's pile just moments earlier. Chloe couldn't help but chuckle, she got up and bowed gracefully to the other woman. "I bow to your superior card skills. May I ever be so lucky as to have but a small fraction of your prowess and beauty." The group exploded into laughter and she signaled to the waitress for another round.

* * *

"Show me." Chloe was talking with Madsen and Warren, their eyes on the Impact who stood back straight and rubbing his moustache. Kate, Victoria and Max were having their own discussion centered around one of Victoria's many hunting tales. This one concerned townsfolk who had thought their village was haunted, Chloe had lost track of the conversation shortly after it had begun in favor of the two mens'. "I gotta see it to believe it." Madsen smiled and held out his hand. In a matter of mere seconds, his white skin had turned into dark green scales. A man at another table made a strangled sound and pointed towards the Impact. Madsen turned and gave him a glare which almost made the man fall right out of his chair. Chloe snickered and she gestured to his hand with her head. "Can I?"

"Go for it." The hunter and tinkerer both reached out and felt at his arm with their fingers. Chloe found that the rough edged skin felt both cold and solid at the touch. She brushed her fingers against the grain of the scales and pulled back her hand quickly in pain. Her index finger had been cut open.

"That is amazing!" Max looked over at her for a moment and instinctively reached for her hand. Chloe let her and the witch healed the small laceration before going back to listening to Victoria's tale. "And nothing can make it through your armor? What about a bolt from my crossbow?"

"Wouldn't even make a dent." Madsen smugly closed his hand into a fist, the hunter could hear the metallic grinding noise of scales rubbing against each other.

"What about something stronger like an explosion? Or intense heat like the type inside a forge? Do you breathe when you have the armor? What if somebody threw you in a lake? Would you sink and drown? And your eyes… What if I shot you in the eyes? Are they as protected?" Madsen's eyebrows raised at the barrage of questions sent his way. He chuckled good naturedly.

"What is it with your kind and trying to figure out what can kill me? I swear Slither did the same damn thing the moment she heard I was an Impact." Chloe smirked.

"You going to answer me?" The man scratched at his chin.

"Only because I suspect not doing so would lead you to trying them out one by one until satisfied. Explosions and heat don't bother me, they do lower the length of time I can hold the shift since they cause exponentially more damage but I can take those without much trouble. I did once walk through a burning stable, I touched a man when I got out and his skin sizzled. So I guess my scales retain heat in the same way as metal." Chloe and Warren both mouthed  _"Bloody amazing"_  simultaneously much to the man's amusement. "As for drowning..? I never really thought of it. I breathed in smoke and coughed in that same burning stable so I suppose I can drown. Sinking is a given, I may not look it but when I shift I lose my buoyancy. I stay the same weight but I won't float. And my eyes? I've got more protection than a normal man's, I don't know how much though. Maybe enough to deflect a blade that doesn't impact it directly… I've never tested it and I'd rather not take a bolt to the eye to find out."

"That's insane… Could you imagine being able to replicate the effect your kind's shift has? We could make unbreakable shields, swords that never need sharpening… The applications are practically endless." Warren spoke quickly, his volume rising ever so steadily. Madsen shook his head.

"It isn't possible. The Queen spent so much gold on studying my kind, she employed the best men of science in our country. I'm pretty sure that we even had a couple tinkerers like you try their hand at figuring our armor out. Nothing came of it. If it had… Her Majesty's armies would be the strongest force in the continent. We would be unstoppable against any non-magical enemies."

"So magic can hurt you? I remember Vic saying something of the like."

"It's the only thing that can cut me like a hot knife through butter. Most theorize that it's because Impacts are a magical species of sorts. Nobody really knows our origins, not even my own kind does. But it makes sense since it's known that magic can disrupt other magic. If our armor is magical then a spell could easily tear into it unhindered." Chloe reached for her dagger at her belt and unsheathed it, she held it up and looked at the Impact with a smile. He laughed and proffered his hand, palm up on the table. "Do your worst!" Chloe raised her hand holding the dagger, Warren was looking attentively at the scene in front of him with excited eyes.

"Chloe! What the bloody hell are you all doing?" All three heads spun to the side. Max and Kate both looked horrified at the hunter who was frozen just before plunging a dagger into Madsen's hand. The Impact looked slightly embarrassed and Warren just ran a hand into his choppy brown hair with a nervous chuckle. Victoria burst out laughing at the scene.

"I'm going to try and stab Madsen?" It came out more like a question and Victoria started to wheeze slightly, tears escaping her eyes.

"That's horrible!" Kate's scolding voice reminded Chloe of all the times her mother had caught her doing something she shouldn't have been. Max's face just radiated disapproval.

"Oh my God… I can't breathe…" Victoria was holding on to her stomach, red faced. Chloe slowly put her hand down and carefully put the dagger back in its sheath on her hip. Madsen shifted back to normal, an awkward silence surrounding them broken only by Victoria's incessant cackling.

* * *

It was a few hours past midnight and the group finally stumbled through the door to Heindal's Shield. Chloe was holding on to Max's shoulders as they walked with care trying to steady themselves. The small brunette was returning the favor with her arm around Chloe's waist. Victoria and Kate both clumsily made their way to the stairs and they giggled as the hunter missed the first step and barely caught herself before her face connected with the wood. Madsen stood straight, or as straight as he could under the influence. His back was somewhat slumped and his eyes seemed a bit lost. Warren surprisingly had been the one to hold his liquor the best. That hadn't spared him though since once the two hunters had found that the man had a strong tolerance, they'd all but forced him to drink twice as much. The tinkerer was wobbling with his hands on the inn's walls offering support, Madsen had offered to share his room for the night since the tinkerer didn't look to be in any shape to find his way home. The group had stayed out well into the night to enjoy themselves. They had only left once the tavern's owner all but pushed them out into the street after Chloe and Victoria had started throwing knives at an ugly painting to see which the best marksman was. The alcohol induced challenge had only led to the first knife thrown by Victoria landing four feet wide and almost embedding itself in the very same owner's head.

Chloe and Max both followed the other two women up the stairs with as much meticulous footwork as they could muster. They opened the door to their room and closed it softly to avoid waking the other occupants. Chloe didn't bother getting changed, she just kicked off her boots recklessly and walked over to the bed to let herself fall face first down onto the mattress. The pillow felt like the softest thing she'd ever laid her head on.  _"It feels like a hundred kittens hugging my face."_ The thought made her giggle. Max fell down next to her with a loud exhale.

"I can't remember the last time I've had a night as fun as this one." Max's voice slurred heavily but it was tinged with satisfaction. Chloe grabbed onto the witch and dragged her into her arms and against her chest. Max yelped in surprise but quickly settled down in the hunter's embrace.

"Mmmhm…" Chloe's thoughts were fuzzy and she just mumbled something incoherent as she buried her face into Max's hair and held her tighter. She was promptly overtaken by her exhaustion to fall into slumber.


	23. Crossing Swords

The high pitched noise of a door creaking open reached Chloe's ears to wake her up from a dreamless sleep. Her head throbbed with the familiar sensation that followed drinking too much the night prior. She buried her face further into her pillow and dragged the blanket over her exposed ear.

"Chloe?" The hunter tried to ignore the voice and fall asleep once more but it came back with a bit more insistence. "Chloe, I saw you move when I came in. I'd like to talk to you." Cursing under her breath, the hunter opened her eyes and looked at the figure by the door. Her eyes were having trouble focusing and she spent a moment trying to get her bearings straight. Kate was dressed in her light gray leather stained armor that she had acquired on the way to Frauy. Her two short swords were hanging on each side of her hips in their respective sheathes with a small short bow sticking out from where it was attached on her back. She'd done up her hair in her usual bun. Pompidou sat by her left leg with his sharp eyes locked onto to Chloe. Kate was smiling a bit awkwardly, it made a sharp contrast with the many thin scars that permeated her face and neck. "I'm sorry to wake you up so early but I was wondering if you could join me on the training grounds today." Kate's eyes flickered down to Max's sleeping figure and Chloe felt her face heat up. The witch was curled up and laying comfortably on the hunter's right side with her arm stretching across her figure. The small brunette's head was buried in the crook of Chloe's neck, she could feel the witch's warm breath caressing her skin. Kate started to shuffle her feet. The hunter cleared her throat and spoke as nonchalantly as she could. Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.

"Sure. Give me ten minutes to change and I'll meet you downstairs." Kate's smile grew more excited and she nodded before turning back to the door. She glanced back over her shoulder and chuckled before closing the door behind her. Chloe let out a long breath and her head hit the pillow softly.  _"Hasn't anybody ever taught her to bloody knock?"_ She looked down at the sleeping woman and tried to pry herself away stealthily. Unfortunately, she had to resign herself to waking up the witch when Max only snuggled tighter. "Max… Max!" The witch brow furrowed slightly.

"What…" Max's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I promised to go with Kate at the training grounds this morning."

"Mmm… I'll sleep a bit longer and join you in a few hours." The groggy voice made Chloe chuckle.

"Sounds like a plan." She moved to stand and get off the bed but was stopped short.

"Max… I'm pretty sure I'll need my body to get there." Max grumbled but let go of her tight grip on the hunter.

"So not fair…" Chloe laughed and separated herself from the witch. The instant she did, the small brunette buried herself in the covers. Max's breathing evened out a few minutes later as the hunter got dressed in her familiar garbs. Checking to see if her weapons were all tightly attached, Chloe hopped up and down a few times. Satisfied with the result, she opened the door to her room and closed it behind her with a final look at Max's sleeping form.  _"Bloody adorable…"_  A yawn escaped her lips and she still felt a bit of headache but overall she was feeling more energized. When she made her way down into the common room of the inn, she spotted Kate by herself sitting down at a table made for two. An overflowing plate of eggs and ham with a glass of orange juice was laying across her untouched. "Is that for me?"

"I figured you could use a good meal after all the drinking we did yesterday." Chloe didn't reply, she pulled the chair and sat down to gorge herself on the delicious food in front of her. A few good minutes passed before Chloe laid back on the chair with a hand on her stomach. She let out a satisfied sound which made the blonde smile.

"Thank you so much Kate. That's exactly what I needed." Kate took a final sip of her tea before putting the cup down and getting up to stretch. Pompidou got up at the same time and rubbed his muzzle against her knee.

"No need to thank me, that's what friends are for."

"Where's Vic and Madsen?"

"Madsen's always waiting for me at the training ground, he wakes up at an ungodly hour. I guess that comes from being a guard for most of his life. As for Vic… She dragged Warren out of the inn by his arm, apparently they were supposed to be doing something related to the tinkerer's weapon. He looked pretty out of it and I doubt that she'll be able to wrap up everything with him quickly. She probably won't join us today." Chloe stood up herself and extended her arms to the ceiling on the tip of her toes. She rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck.

"Alright. Is there a reason you chose me to train you today? Don't take that as me not wanting to help you but I'm really not great when it comes to using short swords. I'd say almost anybody else would serve you better." Kate walked towards the inn's door followed by the hunter and into the soft morning light that was bathing the street.

"It's not for training with short swords. Madsen and Victoria seem to agree that I should learn how to use my bow and you're the best person here who could teach me. I'd like to spar with you as well, it helps to fight people with different styles and weapons."

"That's true." Chloe remembered all too well the various weapons she'd come across during her years as a hunter. Knowing how to fight various enemies and how to adjust to multiple types of weapons was just as important as mastering one style. "What've they been teaching you? I need to know what I'm getting into."

"Madsen is mostly showing me different types of hand to hand combat. He's not very skilled with blades by his own admission so he's been teaching me his own expertise. He's showing me how to take down a single or multiple opponents using only my body and hands. I find it exhausting to be honest but Vic says that it's very easy to be disarmed in battle and that what Madsen is showing me is invaluable."

"She's right. I've been put into situations where I've lost both my daggers and had to rely on the environment around me and my own body. You look stronger than when I first met you, I assume Madsen and Vic are helping you gain some muscle?" Kate nodded as they turned the corner onto a street.

"I spend a good portion of the day after training just working out to increase my strength and agility. It's draining to be honest… I get to bed with no energy left. My arms and legs are always sore and I sleep like a rock only to get up early and do it again the next day. They also feed me an insane amount of meat and vegetable to the point where I feel bloated." Kate seemed a bit defeated at those words, like she'd expected it to be easier than it was.

"It'll get better Kate. You aren't used to making your body work so hard and it'll take a while for it to adapt. I can't let you fight alongside us without being sure that you're willing to give it your all. You need to gain muscle and get stronger. You also need to become more agile and get faster. A great fighter needs quick reaction time and that comes with training until you don't need to think about what to do next. Your body and mind have to calculate the best attack or defense instinctively, it requires an insane amount of work to get to that point. They're only doing what's best for you, what will keep you alive." Kate walked a bit straighter, her posture growing in confidence.

"I know that. I appreciate what they've both done for me every single day. They spend almost every waking hour working with me and making sure I'm ready for anything that comes. I don't take that for granted, I won't let them down by quitting or being lazy. I'll work as hard as I can for as long as I need to." Chloe felt her faith in the woman in front of her grow.  _"She's strong and dedicated. If she can survive long enough, she'll become an amazing fighter."_

"What about Vic? What's she teaching you?"

"Victoria is the one who's been working with me about learning different sword forms and attack style with blades. How to properly parry an attack, when to use your feet and speed to gain an advantage on a stronger foe, where to cut or stab to weaken or kill an opponent effectively, how to take down an armored foe… Anything and everything. Madsen told me that she's gone above and beyond what a normal trainer does. A normal day for me is spending an hour training with the blades with Vic, then we move on to fighting unarmed with Madsen, then a long break where Vic goes over every bit of fighting knowledge I should know, then some weight training with Madsen to grow my strength, some agility training with Vic, another long break and then right back to the start. Rinse and repeat the cycle about three times a day." Chloe's eyebrow raised a bit, she didn't know what she expected but this was definitely more than that.  _"No wonder she feels exhausted at the end of every day. They're fast tracking her through the process of becoming a fighter. She'll be more competent than an average merc in a couple months if she doesn't fall over dead from exhaustion."_

"That's good. Vic also said something about using Frank's dog in fights." She left it at that, she still wasn't sure if Victoria had been messing with her.

"He's an amazing fighter and he's always got my back. I've been training him on my own time to respond to commands mid-fight and he learns quickly. He's the best ally I could ask for on the battle field." Chloe bit her lip to stop the snarky comment from escaping her mouth.  _"Nope. Still don't believe it."_

* * *

" _I bloody believe it!"_ Chloe was sitting on the ground with wide eyes, she scrambled away as fast as her legs and arms could push her. Pompidou advanced in front of her with slow menacing steps, a low growl filled the empty training ground. He bared his long teeth towards her, his irises glowing a dark blood red. Pompidou's muscles rippled under his patchy fur which was now tinged crimson at the tips. The beast was now easily twice the size he had been mere moments ago. The angry canine now stood up to her stomach in height, his paws about the same size of that of a bears'. He looked absolutely terrifying. "Bloody hell!" She tried to run but the large beast rammed into her legs with speed the moment she got up. Chloe collapsed to the ground roughly and she cried out in fear as Pompidou jaws opened next to her face. A sharp whistle blew through the air and the dog stopped its movement in its tracks. He closed his mouth and turned away nonchalantly from the hunter to go and stand next to Kate who was picking herself off the floor. Chloe's eyes felt like they would pop out of their sockets, her breathing was ragged and deep. She could feel the adrenaline pumping in her veins.

"I'm sorry. When you took me down with a jab to the stomach, all the breath left my lungs. It took me a second to regain it." Chloe barely registered what the small woman was saying, she was still reeling from how quickly the beast had managed to take her down all the way from the sidelines. She'd been sparring with Kate, the dog looking over from a few yards away. Then a fake followed by a sucker punch to the stomach had taken Kate down and Chloe hadn't even had the time to react before she'd been shouldered to the ground by the large dog. She looked to the blonde who was softly murmuring something in the dog's ear. She felt a bewildered expression grow on her face as she saw the dog transform in front of her eyes. His large muscular frame, glowing irises and red tinged fur gave way to its regular slimmer form. She swallowed hard.  _"FRANK, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?! YOU KEPT THIS A SECRET?!"_ Madsen got up from where he had been sitting and offered her a hand. Chloe took it and stood on shaky legs. He chuckled as he looked her over.

"That's about how I felt when I first saw that beast rend an armored man's whole arm from his body. Then he proceeded to rip off a man's entire face, helmet and all. I don't know if even my skin is strong enough to stop that dog's jaws. Hope I never find out." Chloe nodded in disbelief, she was still staring at Kate. The woman was now walking over to join them, Pompidou trailing behind her. Her face was a mix of apology and amusement.

"I told you he was the best ally I could ask for."

"I bloody well believe it now. Vic said that mutt could make up for your lack of expertise in battle. Well, against a single enemy, I'd say she's more than right. Is there any way you can make him stand down while we spar? I don't want him to take me down every time I get the upper hand." Kate shook her head.

"Not fully. I can get him to stand and watch as we trade blows but the moment I hit the ground is the moment he stops listening to that order. As long as you don't take the wind out of my sails though, I can stop him in his tracks before he reaches you." Chloe ran a hand over her face.

"That'll do I guess. Let's get back to it." The pair got back to the center of the small field. The training ground wasn't too far from the inn they stayed at thankfully, it had only taken them a good twenty minute walk to get there. It was also deserted by all accounts but that was usually the norm with training grounds in cities. Most city folk had no use for them and the guards had their own grounds closed off to the public. They tended to only be used by the occasional travelers or young teens looking to get into a trade that would involving fighting. An hour of sparring passed very quickly as the hunter and Kate fought with practice blades. Chloe was using short wooden daggers while the other woman used short wooden swords. They had decided earlier that using their metal weapons without Max overseeing the fight was too dangerous. They'd need her healing if one of them took a wrong turn and got severely injured. Chloe had to admit that Kate was fast, she used her small form to get into favorable positions and strike when she could. That didn't prove to be enough against a seasoned fighter though. Chloe didn't hold back, she used her superior strength and every dirty trick in the books to take down her foe quickly. Almost every strike the blonde sent her way was parried and countered with one of her own. The last bout ended when Chloe ducked under a swing and rammed the blonde to the ground with her shoulder. Kate was sent to the ground in a heap a few feet back from where she had been standing. She whistled loudly before she even hit the ground, stopping Pompidou who had already been on his way over. Chloe offered Kate her hand and she pulled the small blonde up off the ground. Kate dusted off her armor and took in a large breath, even the hunter felt herself breathing heavy.

"How did I do?" The look Kate sent her way was so hopeful.

"You're certainly on your way to becoming a real threat with those short swords of yours. It's not a fair match up to face me though but then again… In a real battle you won't have the choice to face someone less experienced. I'll judge you as I would anyone else." Kate stood up straight with the water gourd that had been laying on the ground. She took a large drink before offering it to Chloe. The hunter took a moment to water her dry throat. "Your defense is impressive, you managed to predict and parry most attacks I sent your way. I assume that's due to Vic's training. Most young fighters are taught defensive styles of fighting before offensive ones." Kate nodded. "Your attacks leave a lot to be desired though. I could see what you were going to do before even you did. It's also easy to keep you on the defensive, you don't know enough about breaking out of a defensive stance and forcing your foe back. I had way too many ways of making the fight go where I wanted. I'll give you credit for that one win you got however. Taking advantage of my attack to kick out my leg was thinking outside the box. That's what a seasoned fighter would've done. Keep working on moves that the opponent won't see coming, they're the most important in a fight. An unpredictable foe is a foe that has the upper hand." Kate beamed at the praise she received from the hunter, she smiled broadly. "If you had that mutt involved in the fight then I don't think I could've won any. But don't find yourself relying on him too heavily, it's important to stand on your own two feet. Pompidou can be taken down or distracted in a battle, if that happens… Well, you need to be ready for that."

"That's why I don't use him when I'm training with Madsen or Vic. This is something I need to learn to do without him. Thanks for the feedback." Madsen got up from the seat he had taken, he stretched and yawned loudly. The Impact had been watching quietly the whole time they had sparred.

"I'll be sure to let Victoria know how today went so she can work around Kate's weaknesses accordingly. You should join us in sparring more often. Victoria, for all her good will, has some problems sparring with Kate given her missing hand. I know you'll be busy doing what you hunters do but how does twice a week sound?" Chloe considered it briefly.

"Agreed." She looked over to Kate who was grinning from ear to ear. "I won't go easy on you but when we leave Frauy, I expect you'll be able to take most men down without relying on Pompidou.

"I'm going to get some food. Kate's burned a lot of energy and she needs to keep her strength up. Help her with her bow, will you? She's been carrying that thing on her back since Beorf and I've yet to see her draw it once. I don't like people carrying weapons for show, either she learns to use it or she takes it off." Madsen turned and headed away towards the street. Chloe looked back to the blonde who was now holding the short bow awkwardly by her side.

"Have you ever used a bow?"

"No… But I know Vic used to have one on her back and she says it's useful to have a method of taking people down at a distance." Chloe chewed on her bottom lip in thought.

"Useful for a hunter sure, I don't how much use you'll find for it. With Frank's…  _Your_  dog, a style of fighting that brings you closer to the enemy is better. Either way it can't hurt to have you learn how to use one. On the days where you train with me, we'll spend a few hours teaching you how to shoot properly." Kate looked at Pompidou, he was sitting and looking at the pair from where Madsen had been.

"It's still Frank's dog Chloe."

"No. Frank's gone, I've accepted it. He loved that mutt more than anything else he owned, I'm sure he'd be thrilled to have someone like you caring for him." Kate nodded in thought. "Now, follow me." Chloe headed further from the square to a secluded area where training dummies made with potato sacks and straw were held up on stakes. She placed herself twenty yards away. When Kate joined her, the hunter took the bow from her hand. "I may use a crossbow but I could use one of these in my sleep. Pay close attention." Chloe took an arrow from the small quiver Kate had strapped to her back. "The stance you take is very important. You should stand at a right angle to your target. Your feet should be a shoulder-width apart with the back foot forward. When you've got the position down, you nock the arrow." Chloe lifted the bow and placed the arrow at its base on the bowstring, taking her time with each step to make sure the blonde was absorbing everything. "Your grip on the bow should be solid and steady without squeezing or applying much force. Straighten the arm holding the bow and draw until your hand comes to a comfortable rest near your face." Chloe drew and demonstrated as she talked. "Aim where you look. Don't overthink it. Release smoothly." The  _twang_  of the bow filled the air and the hunter's eyes followed her arrow which embedded itself which in the middle of the target. She glanced at Kate and offered the bow back. "That's the oversimplified version. That's all I'll show you today, I don't want you to trip up because you're trying to follow too many instructions. Each time we do this, I'll get further into details. Don't worry about all the variables like wind and distance right now. Just stand properly, aim and shoot. I want you to get used to the movements."

"Alright." Kate moved up and stood like she'd seen the hunter do. Chloe watched her go through the same motions she had done earlier. The blonde loosed and the arrow rammed itself into the base of the stake barely an inch high from the ground. Chloe would bet a few coins that the arrow would break when they tried to pry it from the stake. Kate scowled at the result.

"You did better than I thought you would. Try again." Kate took in a deep breath and reached behind her back to the small quiver. It only held another half dozen.  _"I'm gonna need to find someone in this city who makes arrows"_ she mused quietly while the other woman drew back the bow once more.


	24. A Lone Hunter

Chloe hummed a melody in her head that she'd taken a fancy to a few years back. It was the only thing keeping her awake right this moment, the hunter was really tired. It was dark tonight, the moon had receded behind clouds that promised a storm in the morning and Chloe didn't look forward to staying put much longer. The hunter itched for her target to step out of the small house he'd entered a good seventy yards away. She was now working on the fourth contract she'd accepted since arriving in Frauy, the fourth in two weeks' time. She felt that she'd gotten herself into a nice sort of routine. She'd train Kate the first day, find a lucrative contract that same night, scout out the target for two full days and execute the target on the fourth night if satisfied with the amount of reconnaissance done. That had been her life for the last sixteen days and she didn't mind it one bit. It was nice to be back on her own and doing something familiar. Not to say it wasn't just as great to go back to the inn and hang out with her friends and a certain brunette. But she found that during these long hours spent scouting, her mind could finally relax and she could let her thoughts wander to whatever they may wish. It was odd to find herself missing arguably the most boring part of her profession but even now as she lay prone on wet grass uncomfortably, she smiled. The anticipation of the kill, the collection of every small detail found scouting, the weight of the crossbow ever so familiar in her hands, the unconscious calculations of all the variables to make sure that her aim was true…  _"God… I bloody missed just being a hunter! Nobody trying to kill me, no giant conspiracies and evil High Lords. Just me and my crossbow. I never realized just how peaceful that feeling is."_

Chloe rested her cheek on the crossbow to look through the silver spyglass attached to it. Still nothing. No movement whatsoever. The target she'd accepted a contract on was actually one of the guards in the City of Frauy. The big armored man had apparently been shaking down some small shops in the eastern side of the city for some extra coin that he then spent towards drinking or attending brothels. The shop's owners had reported him multiple times to the reigning lord of Frauy to no avail. It seemed that this man had somebody with a good amount of power looking out for him. So the collection of small shop owners did what any in their position did when faced with a problem they couldn't solve. They turned to a hunter. In secret of course, this contract had actually been very difficult to uncover by normal standards. Advertising for a hunter needed to kill a city guard was something that just wasn't done, it would be punishable by beheading or hanging for the whole lot if found out. News of her own arrival had predictably traveled around the city and one night when she'd taken Max out for a drink at a local tavern, a man had sat down next to them. He'd requested a private audience, something the hunter agreed to. The sum of one hundred and fifty gold coins had been paid to her upfront. Chloe hadn't asked for it but the man explained that the shop owners didn't want to risk meeting with her once the deed was done, they knew of her reputation and knew she would get it done if she agreed to take on the contract. They'd all pitched in what they could to rid themselves of the guard who had taken much more from them over the last year. Max had frowned upon the idea to risk killing a guard, to the witch it had seemed like asking for trouble. A guard dropping dead from a blue-streaked bolt while she was staying in the city would link it back to her. Chloe had spent the better part of that night assuring Max that she could handle this and that there would be no evidence linking her to his death.

So began the scouting. Chloe had spent the better part of the last two days learning the man's routine. Where he went during the day, what he did while on guard duty, where he went during the night… She had thought of a major problem while doing her reconnaissance, she couldn't just take down the man while in the city from a rooftop a hundred yards away. The hunter needed to take him out away from prying eyes and hide his body to the best of her ability. Nobody asked questions for very long about a missing man, especially this man. This guard seemed to enjoy taking a leave of absence at the end of every week for four or so days. He came back to work when he felt like it, pointing once again to the fact that he most definitely had somebody powerful backing him. This worked in her favor though, nobody would wonder where he went. Nobody would care, his own fellow guards resented him for having the power to get away with anything he chose to do. This night, the guard had taken his horse and left the City of Frauy while drinking and laughing at the men stuck keeping watch at the gate's entrance. Chloe had followed him out a bit later in order not to raise suspicions. She had waited until a group of farmers getting back from a day of selling their stock to merchants went through the gate to head their separate ways. She'd followed him from a distance for hours all the way to this location, a small house a bit separated from the small village that it was a part of. The man had entered the house and Chloe had laid down to wait for his exit. The hunter rolled her shoulders and shifted her legs and hips to keep the blood flowing. Her eyes stung from trying to make out what she could in the dark, her nose was runny because of the cold, wet ground she laid on. And yet, she felt at peace.

The door of the small house opened and light from an oil lamp flooded the secluded area. The guard stepped out of the confines with a leather bag, another man joined him and they both shook hands and shared a laugh. The door closed once again and her target made his way to the small post where he had attached his horse. Chloe inhaled sharply. She either risked having to follow him some more or took the opportunity in front of her. Her decision made, the blue-scarred hunter put the man in her sights. He was moving with a sure step, like a man who felt untouchable. She smirked at the thought. Her whole body went still and she inhale a deep steady breath. She moved her aim ahead towards where the man was walking, her mind automatically processing her surroundings and adjusting her aim slightly to factor them in. Her index applied a bit pressure to the trigger, she could feel the tension ready to be let loose. The hunter exhaled half her breath softly and pulled the trigger. The  _SNAP_  broke the silence, followed by the sharp whistling noise of the broadhead bolt howling towards its destination. The bold struck the man right in the side of the head, a violent noise of a skull being ripped open made its way to the hunter's ears. He collapsed to the ground in a heap, the leather bag he'd been carrying slipping from his grip. Chloe reached behind her to the bag of bolts on her back. She carefully took hold of another broadhead bolt between two fingers and slipped it free of its enclosure. She loaded the crossbow in the dark with silence.

The door of the house opened and the light broke through the night once more, its occupant clearly confused by the sharp noise he'd heard. The hunter tracked him in her sights, her mind entirely focused on the task at hand. The man walked to the dead guard and kneeled by his bloody figure. He looked up and scanned the area. Chloe bit her lip.  _"Let it go man… Go back into your house and sleep. You hold your fate in your hands."_ The man made a break towards the direction of the village, he got a half strangled yell out before a bolt took him the neck. Chloe had been ready for that, she'd reacted quicker than he had. The hunter stood on sore legs and stretched herself out, there would be no more threats in the area. She walked the seventy or so yards towards the house, her eyes scanning the scene in front of her. She felt her scar glowing bright blue when she passed the open door, the oil lamp's bright light enveloping her. The hunter reached between her shoulder blades for the hilt of the short enchanted blade that stuck out. She gripped it firmly and removed it from its sheath in one smooth motion. Her boots making soft squishing sounds when her soles connected with the wet ground. The second man was gargling weakly, his hands trying their best to cover the bolt embedded in his neck and stop the blood flow from the wound. It wouldn't do him any good anyways, the wound was too serious and nobody short of a witch could extend his life now. His eyes widened in fear as he took in what was about to happen. The hunter swung the blade with precision and the man lay motionless. She cleaned her blade with the guard's cloak before placing it back in its place between her shoulders. She had always hated killing anyone besides her target but now it bothered her even more than before. She'd tried to hold to her word and only accept contracts she believed in to try and avoid the death of people who didn't deserve it. But she couldn't compromise her team and risk this man reporting what had happened to the village. This was just another reminder that being a hunter meant that sometimes, even if you tried as hard as you possibly could, there would always be innocent casualties. Chloe walked over to the house and rummaged around for the tool she needed. The hunter came back to the two corpses a few minutes later with a shovel in hand. This would be a long night.

* * *

The soaking wet hunter stepped into Heindal's Sheild and slammed the door shut with a grunt. Chloe had misjudged how fast the storm would take to start. She'd just finished burying the two men in the forest much further from where the house had been, when pouring rain had fallen over her. The only silver lining had been that her black warhorse, Shadow, had been quick to bring to bring her back into Frauy. She'd thanked Victoria profusely when she had found out that the short haired blonde had taken Shadow out of Beorf with her during their escape attempt. The hunter coughed involuntarily, her nose was running and her chest felt congested. Chloe was dripping water all over the floor of the common room but she found it hard to care at the moment. She walked over to the bar with the intention of getting drunk enough to forget this miserable night.

"Chloe?" The hunter swiveled and looked over to a table by the fireplace. Max and Madsen were both sitting down and staring at her, one with worry, the other with amusement. She walked over to the pair and sat down hard on a chair next to Max. She let out an exasperated sigh.

"What are you still doing up? I've told you countless times to stop waiting up for me when I go out at night. You need your sleep." The look Max gave her was nothing short of utter defiance.

"What about you? I haven't seen you sleep more than a couple hours in the last two weeks Chloe."

"One of us needs to get coin and I'm the best one for that task since Vic is too busy with Kate and Warren. There's no reason for both of us to lose sleep over this. You need all your energy to do your  _thing_  when Kate is training. That's why your sleep is more important." Chloe avoided mentioning Max's powers but it seemed the precaution was for naught, there were only two other patrons and the innkeeper up at this time of the morning and all three were across the common room. The witch had started to be needed at the training sessions as of late since Kate had taken the next step in her training. They'd now abandoned wooden practice weapons and moved on to the real thing. All practices now ended with the participants bleeding heavily with serious wounds. Kate found herself injured a whole lot more than Chloe and Vic but the better she got, the more wounds the two hunters finished with. Max was now required to attend every sparring session for her ability with healing. Even Madsen had taken his practices up a notch, Kate and the Impact both fought each other viciously in hand to hand combat. He'd explained to the small blonde that learning how to take a blow was just as important as dishing it out.

"Someone needs to be here to make sure you make it back to the inn safely. You refuse to have us come along with you…" Chloe interrupted the witch.

"Because these are all easy contracts Max, I won't have the lot of you wasting time with me when we should concentrate on other things here."

"And I already agreed with you about that two weeks ago but you can't expect me not to worry. You think I could sleep soundly knowing you're out there by yourself? Just… Let me have this Chloe." The hunter ran a hand through her shoulder length hair which only served to spray drops of water all over the table. She coughed once more and her body shivered.

"Fine. I doubt there's anything I do can stop it anyways." Chloe's voice softened as she forced the edge out of it. Despite her complaints, it felt nice to have someone care enough to lose sleep over her.

"Nope." Max smiled and looked over to the three strangers in the corner, she then reached over to hug Chloe. As soon as the witch made contact with her, the hunter felt an incredible warmth overtake her. It felt like she was surrounded by campfires. A numbing sensation soon replaced the warmth and passed over her head and chest. Max broke up the embrace and Chloe suddenly felt much better. The hunter touched her clothes which were now completely dry, she also didn't feel sick anymore. She glanced at Max who just shrugged with a small smile.

"Thank you." Chloe's head turned to look over the Impact who was nursing a mug of ale. He'd been watching the exchange with an impassive expression. "What about you? Why are you staying up and waiting for me?" Madsen's eyes flickered over to Max. The witch didn't notice the pause, she was still too busy looking at the hunter.

"I decided to keep Max company. To make sure you made it back alright." Chloe's brow furrowed slightly in doubt.  _"He's lying."_ She decided not to call him out on it now, he clearly wanted to discuss something away from the witch. Max yawned loudly, her eyes tearing up a bit.

"Max… Go upstairs and sleep, I'll join you in a bit. I just want to get a quick drink." Max was about to protest but another yawn forced its way past her jaws and a raised eyebrow from the hunter made her relent.

"Alright." The witch got up and placed a hand over Chloe's left shoulder to give it a light squeeze before leaving towards the stairs that led to the inn's upper floor. Chloe watched her until she was out of sight. When they were finally alone she turned to look at the Impact. He passed a hand over his mustache.

"What is it?"

"I found a small group of executioners in the city today." Madsen's gruff voice was lowered to a whisper. Chloe felt dread at the words he uttered.  _"Damn it! It's too early, we aren't ready to leave yet."_

"Shit." Madsen nodded his head slowly.

"There was only four as far I could tell, I skipped out on training with Kate and tracked them down. I know where they're staying and it's clear they don't want to be found out. They aren't wearing the crimson armor, the only reason I recognized them was because one of them forgot to cover his sword hilt. It had the Raven's sigil on its pommel."

"That means there could be more of them then." Madsen shrugged off the words.

"No. I'm absolutely sure they're by themselves. I went to the inn they stayed at and spied on them while they were drinking from a few table over. They spoke angrily of how the Raven commanded them to scout the cities in search of us. They were pissed because they think they're above grunt work like that. They didn't seem to know that you were in the city yet but that won't last long once they start asking questions." Chloe swallowed hard, she had hoped against all odds…

"This confirms it then. The Raven Knight lives. He somehow managed to get himself healed before Vic's poisoned dagger could finish him off. We thought that it was a possibility but now…" The Impact didn't seem worried at the prospect of fighting the powerful leader of Prescott's death squads. If anything, he looked exited. A small smile donned his face and his eyes shone with murderous intent. "Vic told me about what happened to you when you were guarding the Queen's niece and trust me, I get why you want to kill him so badly. But let me be very clear with you. The Raven Knight is anything but weak and he isn't a normal executioner. He uses enchanted armor with magical abilities. You won't last a second facing him head on. We stick to the plan." She uttered the words of her last sentenced with hard emphasis. Madsen scowled in irritation.

"Bloody hell… I'm a man of my word. I promised Victoria back in Beorf that I'd follow you lot until we take him down. Nothing will change that. But that doesn't mean that we need to stand here and do nothing about it. That's the reason I wanted to talk to you about this. Kate and Max won't approve of this and Vic's still not back to one hundred percent since losing her hand." Chloe guessed what he was getting at.

"You want to go after the executioners before they come for us…" His expression grew very serious.

"I want to capture them and force them to tell us information about Prescott. They might not know about the High Lord's plans but they'll have knowledge concerning the Raven Knight at the very least, maybe even his location. This could be invaluable to our cause." Chloe found herself carefully considering the man's words. He was right, this could lead to very beneficial intelligence. At the very least, they would be taking out a threat in the city before they could signal for reinforcements. Max and Kate would probably want to leave the city not to mention that the small brunette would likely not agree with torture being used to extract information from their enemies however much they deserved it. But they also still needed time for Warren to finish the weapons he was creating and killing the executioners would buy them that time. She had to admit that the positives far outweighed the negatives. Madsen smiled at the hunter, he could see her choice written over her face.

"This needs to be handled carefully. We can't just ram the door to their inn and kill them. We need to find a place to stash the executioners where they can't be heard and where we can dispose of the bodies afterwards. We can't attract the attention of the city guards."

"We could lure them out of the city. They're looking for you, let them think they found you and make them follow to a secluded area. I don't need long to get the information out of them. I was trained by the best and I can be very persuasive when I choose to be." The Impact cracked his knuckles with a dark look on his face. "As long as you have no objection to being used as bait of course…" Chloe chewed on her bottom lip in thought.  _"Max is really gonna hate this."_

"None. We need to be the first to strike and do it quickly so they don't spread the word of our stay in the city to the Raven. Tonight?" The Impact rose from his chair and grunted.

"Tonight seems best. I'll make an excuse for being away from training Kate."

"I'll tell Max I found a lead on a new contract." Madsen nodded.

"Let's get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us."


	25. Gathering Intelligence

Chloe looked over the cart filled with produce that the farmer had placed near a small merchant's stand. The pair of men were deep in a heated conversation to decide the price they would settle on. The farmer was haggling on his end that his produce was the best available this close to the city while the merchant pointed out the few items of lesser quality in his argument to lower the price. The hunter didn't really care about what was transpiring in front of her, she had bigger worries in the back of her mind at the moment. She picked up a red apple from the cart and inspected it closely, she had to admit that it did look a fair bit better than what she'd seen at other fresh fruit stands. The apple had no bruises or cuts, she could even feel her mouth water at the prospect of biting into it. Despite the fairly normal setting, Chloe felt eyes burning into the back of her head. She had to fight against every primal instinct in herself to not turn around and face the small group of men that were glaring at her inconspicuously from far across the road. After letting Max know that she might've found a new lead on some interesting targets, she had taken the better part of the day trying to get noticed by the four men. Madsen had given her the name of the inn where the executioners had been staying and so the hunter had begun hanging around the area. Chloe had done her best to attract attention which she had to admit, hadn't been very hard to do in this city. Her name carried weight and most folks were aware by now that they had a famous hunter in Frauy. She'd walked around the streets in full view of the sun, letting her blue scar glow bright and making sure her trademark weapon attracted the eye. She had even spent a good twenty minutes sharing an adventure of hers to two young girls that had begged her for a story. A large crowd had gathered on the street before the hunter had finished her tale, the four executioners among them. The hunter had given the signal to the Impact who had been trailing her from afar and so their plan had now begun.

"…easure doing business with you Mav." Chloe's attention snapped back to the old farmer who was smiling broadly at the frowning merchant in front of him.  _"No doubt on who won this round of negotiations_ " the hunter thought. She looked down to the apple she held in her palm and made to place it back onto the cart. She stopped halfway in the gesture.  _"I am pretty bloody hungry…"_

"I'll take this one." She walked to the merchant and dropped a couple of copper coins into his palm. The man flinched visibly when his eyes connected with her face, she could see them lock on to her blue scar. Chloe turned away from his frightened expression and made her way towards Shadow with a scowl. It was a nice reminder that not everyone loved hunters. She spotted movement from her peripheral vision and actively ignored it. The four men were now mounting their warhorses and talking amongst themselves. "You ready pal?" She rubbed down the side of her horses face and reached into the pack saddle to feed him a large carrot she had acquired earlier. The horse happily ate the food he was offered. Chloe swung over the horse and settled down on his back with a smile. "Just me and you… Just like the old days." She heeled the horse into motion, choosing a steady pace to make sure she didn't accidentally walk into another person. The sensation of being watched still made her uneasy but she shrugged her shoulders and kept moving towards the northern gate. There was nothing she could do anyways. Turning around and fighting was out of the question and alerting them that she knew she was followed would only trigger a hasty retreat on their end. So the hunter kept her back turned to the four men and hoped the executioners wouldn't be so bold as to shoot her with an arrow right in the back.

* * *

The metallic noise of the gate being lifted in front of her made Chloe grind her teeth anxiously. She increased her mount's pace and started towards the forest on her left, it was a good couple hundred yards away. The four executioners had followed her right up to the gate and Chloe felt more vulnerable than ever as she spotted them on their horses from the corner of her eye. Having your back turned to the enemy was a terrible feeling, it was a mix of vulnerability and weakness that the hunter absolutely despised. She kept on forward as the city grew in distance. Chloe didn't slow until she was satisfied that no guards could spot them or care enough to investigate from this far. Then she turned her head to look at the four men. All of them snapped to attention from their various states of relaxed riding. Four sets of eyes locked onto hers.

"Bloody..!" Chloe let a panicked shout escape her lips and she turned away with a fearful look donning her face. She kicked her heels into Shadow and took off towards the woods as fast as the large warhorse could muster. The hunter could hear the four men's shouts as they tried to catch her. She turned her head to make sure they were all following, she had to make sure none of them split off from the group. If even one of them escaped, the Raven Knight would be notified of their presence in Frauy. Thankfully it seemed that all four executioners were hot on her tracks, they probably thought that they had a chance at glory if they managed to take her down. Chloe unslung her crossbow and took the bolt she had hidden out of her hooded cloak's inner pocket. She loaded it and turned her whole body around on the saddle, her warhorse's sprints made her whole body shake and she felt a momentary worry at the prospect of falling off her horse at the speed she was going. She ignored it as best she could, there was no room for doubt when in battle. She lifted the crossbow towards her pursuers and loosed a bolt towards the closest foe. The executioner saw the attack coming and swerved to the left ungracefully which cost him some speed, the man behind him didn't get the chance to move. The blue streaked broad head bolt rammed itself right in the middle of the man's chest, sending him flying right off the back of his horse. She heard a loud grunt of pain when the executioner's back connected with the ground and she saw him roll and tumble against the uneven earth.

Chloe turned back the right way around on Shadow. The tall oak tree she was aiming for was approaching very quickly, a look behind her confirmed that the three men were still in hot pursuit. One of them loosed an arrow from horseback which whizzed by her head and cut open her cheek, she felt the warm blood seeping over her skin.  _"C'mon! C'mon! Faster!"_ She couldn't load her crossbow, it would take too long and put her in a vulnerable position. Chloe could only lay down flat on the horse and try and make herself as small of a target as possible. Shadow sped up, she could hear the horse panting from the effort but he didn't waver. The noise of hooves stomping the ground was the only other sound she could hear. Another  _twang_  of a bowstring and Chloe felt an arrow strike her in the top of the left shoulder. She let out a pained cry but kept her eyes focused on the huge tree. The three men weren't gaining on her but they also weren't slowing down.

"NOW!" Chloe screamed at the top of her lungs as she passed the tree at a speed that any average rider would find much too dangerous to use in a forest. She looked behind her to the closest executioner, he was in the motion of reaching for another arrow in his quiver. A motion that was interrupted in a violent way as the Impact who was hiding behind the oak turned from his hiding place and rammed his shoulder into the horse's side. The green scaled man's attack sent the horse careening into another tree head first. It had been going far too fast to stop itself. The animal's neck snapped instantly and its face crumpled violently into the wooden surface. The rider was sent forward as his mount stopped abruptly under him, his upper body launched like a stone from a catapult right into the tree at high speed. A loud crunch of bones snapping rang in tandem with a loud scream of pain. Chloe's warhorse was already slowing and turning back the way she had come as Madsen carelessly launched himself into the next horse's legs. Chloe flinched unconsciously at the animal's piercing wail as its legs shattered one after the other when they connected with the magical armor that enveloped her friend. Killing horses was always horrible but it was unfortunately the easiest way to take down an enemy on horseback. The large animal fell to ground in a heap with its rider, both tumbling in random directions from the momentum they had sported. The executioner landed hard but to his credit, he managed to stand quickly albeit a little shaken up. The last foe swerved on the other side of the tree and kept on riding away into the forest, he'd seen his team get ambushed and decided against facing them. He was probably going to leave and go warn the Raven.

"I GOT THIS ONE, GO AFTER HIM!" Madsen was pointing towards the man fleeing on horseback before he turned and charged towards the executioner standing in front of him. Chloe didn't look to see how that fight would play out, after seeing the Impact body a heavy warhorse like it was nothing, she had the utmost trust that Madsen could handle himself against one man. Chloe kept her momentum going as she corrected her course towards the rider ahead.

"Go Shadow! You got this!" As if the warhorse could hear the encouragement from its owner, he sped up even more. The black mount rode deftly on the uneven terrain, avoiding roots, rocks and holes in the ground all while maintaining his speed. Chloe saw herself catching up to the executioner ahead, the man looked back and cursed loudly. They broke out of the forest with a leap and kept the chase going in the plains. Chloe gripped at her enchanted blade between her shoulders and pulled it free of its sheath. She waited until Shadow brought her neck and neck with the man before turning to her side and throwing the blade without care in his direction. She wasn't very experienced in throwing a blade of this size but it didn't matter in the end. The green glowing blade's hilt wacked the man on the chest and it seemed he tried to smirk as he looked down at the failed throw.

Then Chloe launched herself at him. The hunter immediately felt pain as her side hit the man but the end result worked in her favor as the pair were suddenly thrown to the ground. Chloe felt her wounded shoulder hit the ground hard and something snapped in her left arm. She kept on tumbling, limbs flailing until her speed died down. The executioner was no better off, he was holding onto his mangled right hand and blood was all over the side of his face where his left eye had connected with a sharp rock protruding from the ground. Chloe stood up on wobbly legs and the man ran at her. He didn't get further than three paces before Shadow rammed into him and sent him back hard to the ground. Chloe walked over to the unmoving man and grimaced, his neck was angled the wrong way. She had been trying to keep him alive during the fight so they could use him for information. Her large black warhorse turned and stomped over to her, his nose bumped softly against her shoulder a couple of times before she looked up. She took a few second to inspect the animal for any bad wounds which he thankfully didn't seem to have. The horse would have a bruise from where his shoulder had connected with executioner's head but nothing more serious than that.

"Thank you…" Chloe rubbed down her panting mount affectionately. She looked at the corpse to her left and murmured under her breath. "Don't worry about killing him, we still have three other men we can extract information from." The hunter took a few minutes to compose herself before she grabbed her enchanted blade and struggled up to Shadow's saddle. It was much more difficult than she would've expected. Her left elbow was broken, leaving the rest of the arm pretty much useless. Her left shoulder was throbbing with an arrow embedded in the flesh and she had a sharp pain on her right side. She also felt short of breath and every deep inhale made her chest heave in pain. She guided her warhorse with her knees and flinched whenever he would take a hard step or turn too quickly. It took a good fifteen minutes for her to get back into the forest and reach the tall oak tree where she had left Madsen. The Impact turned when he heard her approach and a look of overwhelming relief took over his features. He had clearly been worried about her.

"What happened to you? What took you so long?" The hunter gratefully took his hand as he helped her off the horse's back.

"I needed to stop him quickly and take him alive so I jumped him when he was riding his horse."

"That explains why you look like hell. I notice he isn't with you." Chloe tried to chuckle.

"Shadow knocked him down and his neck broke from the impact. You looked pretty worried about me…" Chloe smirked arrogantly.

"Don't flatter yourself. I was worried that Max would hang me up by my toes if she found out I let you die on my watch. That witch can be downright scary when she wants to be." Chloe punched him in the shoulder in mock indignation and Madsen laughed loudly. He seemed to be no worse for wear despite being trampled by a horse and facing an executioner with no weapons.  _"I guess he is the weapon…"_ She corrected herself in her mind.

"Where are the prisoners?"

"Over there." Madsen pointed towards a medium sized tree a good forty yards away, Chloe could make out a couple bodies tied up by its stump.

"Only two? What happened to the third?"

"Dead. I found the one you shot with your crossbow further back. The bolt took him in the lung, he probably died shortly after hitting the ground."

"Shit."

"It's not the worst thing in the world Chloe. We still have two of four captured, that should be more than enough. I doubt the two dead executioners knew more than their fellow sword bearers. If this pair knows nothing, I'd say it's a good guess that the dead ones knew nothing as well." Chloe nodded. She breathed in deeply, the prospect of what they were about to do brought her no joy.

"Let's get on with it." The hunter tried to move past Madsen but he stopped her with a firm hand on her right shoulder. "What is it?" Chloe turned to look the Impact over, he seemed indecisive.

"Chloe… What I'm about to do. It's not something I take lightly and it's not for everyone. I won't hold it against you if you want to sit it out." The hunter blinked twice in confusion before she furrowed her brow in anger.

"You think I'm too weak to take a part in this?" Madsen took a step back and lifted his hands passively.

"No. That's not what I said…"

"Sure sounds like that's what you're implying!" The man passed a hand over his chin, rubbing his thick moustache.

"Chloe, even in my country we've heard about the Blue Hunter. I heard of your exploits the same way I'm sure you've heard of some of our great hunters as well. I say this to tell you that I'm well aware of how strong and capable you are. You're one of the best at what you do and that's no small feat. I saw you agree to be used as bait against some of the best killers Prescott could recruit and fight them with no hesitation, a weak person couldn't do any of that. I don't think you're weak." He rubbed a hand through his short black hair. He seemed to be thinking carefully on how to proceed. "But torturing another living being… It's different. It's something you can't take back, it's something I sometimes wish I had never been trained to do. You leave a part of yourself behind when you do it. I remember each time I've lain a hand on a defenseless man to bring him to his threshold. The screams, the begging, the blood, the snapping bones, the stories they tell you of their lives and their families to make you empathize… It takes a horrible, vile being to keep going through all that. It haunts your dreams and never fully leaves your thoughts. I had no choice in the matter back then, I'm giving you one now. I'll support what you decide but I want you to be absolutely sure about this because you cannot take it back. You have nothing to prove to me."

The Impact stopped his short speech and looked in her eyes. Chloe hadn't done anything like this before, her enemies had always been dispatched quickly and efficiently. She thought back to the blonde woman back in Frauy whose face and body were covered in scars.  _"Could I see myself do to another what Bokeh did to Kate? The executioners are evil sure… But they're just working for the Raven the same as a mercenary works for their leader. The same as Victoria and I working for the man who posted a contract. Frank had been a mercenary, could I torture someone like him simply for a piece of information?"_ Chloe shook her head and broke her gaze away from the large man in front of her. This wasn't her, Madsen was right. She didn't want any part of this.

"Go for a walk in the forest. I'll handle this." The Impact placed a sympathetic hand over her shoulder for a moment before his skin gave way to dark green metallic scales. He turned away from her and walked towards the two tied up prisoners. Chloe turned away and started to walk in no particular direction. She hastened her pace when a loud gut wrenching scream pierced through the silent forest.

* * *

It'd been a little over two hours before the hunter made her way back to where she'd left Madsen and the two prisoners. Chloe had given herself ample time to make sure that whatever had transpired between the Impact and the executioners was dealt with. It seemed she'd been right. When Chloe walked to the oak tree, Madsen was already sitting down and cleaning his arms with the water gourd from her pack saddle. They were stained a deep red and the flowing water didn't do much to help. She made a mental note to make sure to remind the Impact to cover them before they reached the gates. The guards would ask too many questions at the sight. Chloe walked to the tree and lowered herself next to him slowly. Her side had turned a dark purple shade, Chloe was pretty sure she had a broken rib. Madsen looked her over and offered the gourd which she took appreciatively. She drank a large gulp of water and coughed.

"What did you find out? What this even worth it?" Chloe couldn't help but feel somewhat skeptical of their plan since she had left Madsen to his devices. What kind of leader would let their grunts know important intelligence? The Impact smiled widely.

"Definitely worth it. They didn't know much about Prescott's plans but…"

"How can you be sure?" Chloe interrupted him but he didn't seem to mind.

"I know the difference when a man is telling the truth and when he tells me anything to make me stop hurting him." The unwavering way with which the Impact spoke quieted whatever doubts Chloe had. "As I was saying, they didn't know much of Prescott's plans but I sort of expected that. The good news is that they were able to give me intelligence surrounding their commander." The way Madsen's eyes shone excitedly reminded Chloe how just how much the Impact wanted to lay hands on him. "They were supposed to meet back up with the Raven in Fireheart Castle if they found nothing. It's owned by one of Prescott's generals. It seems that he's hiding over there instead of Arcadia while he recovers from his wounds. He brought with him a whole garrison of death squads, they were a bit fuzzy on the details but anywhere from forty to fifty seems like a good assumption."

"Recovers from his wounds?" That made Madsen smile even wider.

"It seems that the witches under the High Lord thumb aren't very skilled at healing… Something I'm all too familiar with already…" His face darkened somewhat as a memory replayed itself in his mind. "The Raven was partially healed but he's very weak at the moment while his body fights off the lingering effects. The two said they barely saw him out of his rooms and not for very long at a time."

"Why isn't he hiding in Arcadia? Hell… Fireheart Castle is closer to Frauy then to the capital, it makes no sense."

"Apparently, the High Lord isn't happy with his son's failure back in Beorf. He told him to go and bring back your heads and not to come back until the deed was done. That's why he's sending his executioners scrambling all over the place trying to find us. You remember what I told you happened in Beorf?" Chloe nodded her head, they'd discussed it at length with Kate, Victoria and Max. "Bokeh, the general and his soldiers that were sent to the city, were all there on the High Lord's orders. The Raven had nothing to do with it, he's lost Prescott's trust."

"This is big. If he's recovering outside of Arcadia, we could strike at him when he's weak. He won't have all his death squads protecting him either since he only brought a small fraction with him." Madsen tightened his fists unconsciously.

"We could knock down two birds with one stone. He's hiding with one of Prescott's generals. If we take them both down at once, it'll be a major blow to the High Lord. This will be a great victory on our side." Chloe frowned slightly.

"I thought you told Victoria you didn't care about the High Lord, that you were only staying with us until the Raven was killed?" The man seemed deep in thought for a moment. He spoke up hesitantly.

"I've… changed my mind. I like the whole lot of you, I consider you friends. Leaving Kate, Max, Vic and you behind to fight these madmen… It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"So you won't let yourself die at the end of this?" Madsen sighed.

"This still changes nothing. I need to honor my failure at protecting the Queen's niece and once this whole ordeal is dealt with, I'll still walk to the executioner's axe with my head held high. But… I won't leave you all when the Raven falls. I'll stay until this is resolved." Chloe frowned but didn't speak up. It wasn't her place to question the man's view of honor.

"At least we have a plan of action for when we're ready to leave Frauy. Seems our next stop will be Fireheart Castle." Madsen nodded and stood up, offering her a hand. Chloe took it but groaned in pain as she was helped up.

"We'll need to see Max about healing your wounds." Chloe grimaced, this time it wasn't from the pain.

"I was hoping to avoid that but I guess the whole group should know what we found out as well. They won't like hearing about what we did today." Madsen grinned.

"It won't be  _that_  bad." Chloe raised an eyebrow at him and he stumbled a step. "At least I hope so…"


	26. Wounded

"How do I look?" Chloe stood in front of the Impact impatiently. The pair of them had decided to stop at one of the city's least used wells to try and clean themselves up as best as they could before entering Heindal's Shield. Madsen didn't look up right away, he was too busy trying to scrub his red stained arms with a piece of cloth he had found. When he finally looked up, the Impact pointed to her shoulder.

"Terrible. Your shirt is stained beyond reason and I can still see the hole where the arrow landed. Your posture's no better mind you, I wasn't kidding when I said that you looked like hell. You look like an aged grandmother with the way you're hunched over with an arm around your stomach." The hunter grimaced. She had been forced to tell the guards that they had been ambushed by brigands when it became apparent that nobody in their right mind wouldn't take notice of the state they were in. A good two hours of questioning followed by an escort to the nearest clinic where they had been forced to stay for another few hours had managed to drain whatever daylight had been left in the day. Chloe had tried to explain that she would be fine without the nurse's help but the woman had insisted in bandaging up her left arm and side. The cut on her cheek had been disinfected as well. Now the both of them sat on a well's rim with the setting sun on their back. She glanced down her body and sighed. There was just no way to hide the extent of her injuries like she had previously hoped to do. Madsen grunted and stopped scrubbing down his skin, the stains wouldn't go away simply with water.

"Let's go then." Chloe struggled to her feet with a small groan of pain, her broken rib was irritating to say the least. They walked slowly towards the inn, it took twice as long to reach than usual. Madsen reached forward and opened the door for the hunter, the light and sounds of an occupied common room flooded the street. Chloe gritted her teeth and stood up as straight as she could manage. She wrapped her hooded cloak around herself to cover up her body. Madsen didn't have a cloak so he simply shoved his hands in his pockets and tried not to attract the attention of the other patrons. Neither of them wanted to cause a scene. The innkeeper behind the bar smiled warmly towards them, she lifted her hand with two fingers sticking up and wore a questioning look. Chloe nodded and the woman busied herself with filling up two mugs of ale. She would bring it to their regular table when she had the time.

"There they are…" The sound of Kate's voice was muffled by the laughter of a rowdy band of men dicing on a large table. Chloe looked at the table near the fireplace to meet three sets of eyes staring back. Kate and Max looked worried, Victoria for her part just looked annoyed. Chloe followed the large man as they walked carefully around chairs and folks until they reached their destination. The Impact sat down hard on one of the free chairs at the table's end. Chloe didn't sit right away, she just glared at Victoria until her fellow hunter smirked and got up off the chair on Max's right to go sit next to Kate.

"What the bloody hell happened to you two?" Chloe tried to look as nonchalant as she could while she lowered herself down on the chair next to Max. She didn't answer the witch's question for a few moments. Victoria's eyes narrowed with curiosity at her fellow hunter's rigid posture. "You told me you were going to follow up a lead on a new contract and that never takes you more than a couple hours. Did you get in some kind of trouble?" Max was looking at the fresh cut on the hunter's cheek.

"Something like that…" Chloe was thinking on how to proceed when Kate spoke up, the blonde was staring at Madsen accusingly.

"You told me you were skipping out on training because you felt ill." The Impact looked taken aback at the small woman's tone. "I called it quits with Vic after three hours and came back to the inn with hot soup and tea. Imagine my surprise when the innkeeper told me you left with Chloe the moment after I exited the building." The man's face took on a look of surprise. He looked over to Chloe instead of answering.

"Umm…" The innkeeper chose that moment to drop the two mugs of ale on the table. Neither of them reached to grab their drinks. Chloe just stared at hers with irritation. The woman had placed it a good distance away on her left side. She looked around and lowered her voice. "We found a lead on some pretty important information concerning the Raven Knight. Madsen and I didn't want to get anyone worried unnecessarily so we went out by ourselves to follow up on it." Max's breath hitched, Kate just looked angry at hearing mention of the Raven.

"What kind of lead?" Victoria spoke up calmly, she looked over at Madsen.

"I found four of his men wandering the city yesterday."

"Executioners? And you didn't think to mention this to me?" The short haired hunter's eyes glinted with anger. "I was with you all bloody day long!"

"That's why you stayed up with me to wait for Chloe!" Max spoke over the hunter's last few words.

"What happened?" Kate's voice joined the fray, she was looking directly at Chloe when she posed her question. "Did you get in a fight?" Chloe opened her mouth to reply but Victoria cut her off.

"Bloody right they did. Madsen hasn't moved his hands out his pocket since they've walked in. I wonder why…" The hunter spoke in an aggravated tone and she reached for his arm. The man reluctantly moved it onto the table. Everyone fell silent as his blood stained hands were exposed. "And Chloe's injured with more than just a cut. She can't reach for her mug because there's something wrong with her arm. Not to even mention that I've never seen her with her cloak tied up." Max reached over hurriedly and untied the cloak to open it. The witch's eyes widened at the sight of Chloe's bandaged arm and side.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Max fingered the hole by her shoulder. She did not look happy.

"We needed the information… It was imperative that we get it while we could. We had a feeling you guys wouldn't approve…"

"Rightfully so!" Max pointed at Madsen in anger. "You might be invulnerable to an extent but  _she_  isn't. You could've gotten her killed." The Impact shrugged uncomfortably.

"He needed the help Max…"

"That's nonsense! Madsen can stop a blade in its track without even blinking. I fail to see how you getting involved helped!" Victoria spoke up and Madsen finally opened his mouth to defend himself. Chloe tried to stare him down into silence but he didn't seem to notice her.  _"Quiet you giant oaf! Don't make this worse."_

"I needed her because there was no way to take them out in the city without attracting a scene. I needed them to leave the gate. I would've done it myself otherwise." Max's mouth dropped open and her voice grew venomous as she looked back to him.

"You used her as  _bait_!?" The witch's furious glare turned to rest on the hunter. "You agreed to be used as  _bait_!?" Chloe gritted her teeth.  _"Just bloody fantastic…"_

"It wasn't that risky Max. It's not like they were going to shoot me in the back in front of a crowd."

"You didn't know that! You couldn't possibly have known that!" The witch gestured at the hole in her shirt. "Look at your shoulder! If that wasn't caused by a bloody arrow, I'll eat both my boots!" This discussion was rapidly spiraling out of control. Madsen was now in a heated argument with Victoria and Kate trying to defend his actions. A few of the inn's closest patrons had turned to look at the commotion.

"Ma…"

"You have no regard for your own safety Chloe! We should've discussed this as a group and decided how to proceed together!"

"The information was imp…"

"No amount of information is worth your life. We should've packed up and left the city quietly instead of following an insane plan that clearly didn't work out as intended."

"It worke…"

"Then why are you bandaged all over like a soldier coming back from a bloody war?!"

"Burn you! Will you let me  _bloody_  speak?!" Chloe smacked the table hard with her open palm angrily and instantly regretted it. The contact only caused her to double up in pain as her side flared up. She groaned loudly in pain.

"Take this outside and don't come back until you're all settled! I won't have you lot fighting in my inn!" The innkeeper had somehow gotten all the way to their table during all the shouting, she had both hands on her hips with a scowl on her face. Chloe only just realized that she couldn't hear anyone else talking. It seemed that they had attracted every patron's attention. She felt an arm reach around her side gently. Chloe glanced to her left while still bent over and saw Max looking back at her with concern.

"Come on…" The witch helped get Chloe to her feet and she kept her steady as they walked to the door that led outside. The cold night air was a very welcome change from the heated atmosphere that had taken over inside the inn a few moments ago. Victoria, Kate and Madsen all followed silently after the pair as Max guided them in no particular direction. They walked for a few minutes until the witch found two long stone benches they could sit on. The only light source was an oil lamp on a pole a good ten paces away. Chloe was the first to break the silence.

"Look… I'm sorry Max. Really. It's still hard to get used to the fact that I have people who care about what happens to me. I won't pull something like this again without running it by you first." Max didn't look up from her hands so Chloe nudged the witch's shoulder softly with her head. She lowered her voice as low as she could go. "Forgive me?" Max finally looked up, she squinted in thought and breathed out calmly.

"Yes. Sorry I flipped out on you back there. It just… I need you to take better care of yourself. I hate having to stitch you back up every time you get careless but it's even worse when I'm not there to be able to help. If you had been mortally wounded out of the city, there'd be no way for me to save you." Chloe nodded and Max smiled. "I guess this makes us even for that night in the mercenary encampment." The hunter laughed for a second before it devolved into painful coughs. She felt arms embrace her and the familiar numbness that accompanied healing enveloped her body. A few moments that felt like an eternity passed and Chloe finally let out a breath. She placed her hand gingerly over her side and pressed down to make sure her rib was healed. She rolled her left shoulder and bent her arm at the elbow. "Satisfied?"

"Thanks." A clearing throat brought Chloe back to the situation at hand. Victoria, Kate and Madsen all stood close by.

"I apologize to you all. I made a rash decision based entirely on my hatred for the Raven. It was careless and it endangered a friend, It will not happen again." Madsen's gruff voice was tinged with guilt. He shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable with the vulnerable position he had placed himself in.

"We all make mistakes. My father used to say that the important part of messing up was how an individual chose to react to it. Admitting you blundered and learning from it is all we can ask for." Max seemed lost in thought as she spoke of a time before she had lost her family, before they had turned on her. Chloe's blood boiled at the thought of what they had done to their daughter.

"Tell us what came of this. You said you found important information on the Raven Knight. What was it?" Victoria's delivery still had an edge to it but she seemed to have calmed down a good bit.

"We ambushed the executioners and managed to take them all down. Two died in the fighting and we captured the other two. They told me that the Raven Knight has lost the High Lord's trust, he's been shut out of Arcadia after his failure to kill you three. He's still recovering from the poison that went in his system the night you fought him. He was healed but not well and he is vulnerable. They also gave us his location. He's hiding out in Fireheart Castle with one of the High Lord's generals, a half a hundred executioners and whatever forces this general controls."

"They gave you the information?" Victoria's eyes dropped to Madsen's bloody hands pointedly. Max grimaced, she looked over at Chloe with a saddened look.

"You tortured them?"

"Chloe didn't participate. I told her to leave. I tortured them.  _Alone_." Max exhaled softly and she leaned back onto Chloe's side. Madsen's words seemed to have eased a weight from the witch's mind.

"It's not right. We aren't like them. There are lines we shouldn't cross." To the hunter's surprise, Victoria seemed to be the one who was most opposed to what had happened.

"Why shouldn't we?" Kate spoke up with a strong voice, she stood up straighter. "If our enemies cross the lines we refuse to, then we are at a disadvantage." Victoria turned around with a stunned expression.

"We shouldn't stoop to their level. If we do, then we're no better than they are. Torturing someone is a heinous thing to do. It's wrong and nobody deserves to go through it."

"They do." Kate's scarred face betrayed no emotions but her voice was dripping with hatred and loathing. Her right fist was held at her side in a strong white knuckled grip, it trembled slightly from the pressure. "All of the Raven's men. All of Prescott's men. They all deserve it. Nothing is heinous enough for their kind. I'd put them all under the blade myself if I got the chance, I want to see how  _they_  feel when they finally break…" Chloe felt Max stiffen at her side, Madsen and Victoria both looked at a loss for words.

"Kate… What you went through… How could you even say something like that?" The blonde hunter's words came out weakly.

"They killed my family. They killed my friends. They broke me and kept stomping on the pieces until all there were left were splinters, and then they kept on stomping anyways. I refuse to show them mercy. They  _deserve_  none!" The last came out just shy of a shout. Kate was breathing heavily and shaking in anger. The hunter felt Max shiver and she found herself reevaluating the small blonde in front of her. Chloe would've given a wide berth to anyone sporting a look like that. She had seen some folk with an expression that was much the same, it was the look of someone ready for murder. It seemed Madsen wasn't the only one blinded by a need for revenge.

 


	27. Sonance

The common room of Heindal's Shield was fairly unoccupied this morning and it suited the trio of women just fine. Kate's outburst last night had left the group somewhat stunned and they had taken the road back to the inn in silence. The night passed quickly and Victoria, Max and Chloe all ate breakfast consisting of dried fruit and oatmeal that the innkeeper had served them. Kate had joined them for a spell and while she seemed regretful of what had been said, she didn't take it back. The woman left with Pompidou shortly after when Madsen had woken up in order to join him on the training grounds. The hunter considered talking with her but thought better of it. Who was she to question the blonde's emotions and perspective of things? Chloe thought that if she had been in the woman's boots and faced what she had faced… She doubted that she'd have come out of it in any better shape mentally. This would be something Kate would need to figure out on her own and hopefully soon. She could already see the dark road the woman would end up spiraling through. Chloe had been on that same road after Rachel's death and meeting Max and Victoria had been what she needed at the time to swerve off that path. It would come to a boiling point, of that much she was certain, she just hoped Kate could see the error of her ways or find solace in her friends before reaching it.

She took another bite of oatmeal with a few dried apricots. The days were wrapping up quickly and the hunter found herself itching to get back to their travels. She had never been much of a city person. Since she had left Arcadia after her father's death, Chloe hadn't stayed in a city longer than a month and most of her stays lasted less than two weeks. Now the group were rapidly reaching the end of the fourth week spent in Frauy. The hunter hoped that she could find another contract soon to distract herself. City life bored her to no end.

"What do you both have planned for later?" Victoria spoke up between mouthfuls of food. The short haired woman was dressed in her usual hunter attire. Victoria was supposed to join the departed duo for training after her meal. They had given Max the day off of healing duty. The witch looked to Chloe with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not sure. I sort of feel like going out tonight and having a good time. What do you want to do?" Chloe eyes picked up movement from the inn's entrance and she turned her head slightly to get a better look at the newcomer. Warren was making his way over to them, he looked slightly unkempt with his choppy brown hair sticking out in various directions. He yawned tiredly but his eyes shone with excitement.

"Let's table this discussion right now. I think our resident tinkerer has some news to share." Max and Victoria turned to glance the way she was looking.

"Good morning ladies." Warren stretched out his arms and took a seat next to Victoria, across from Max and Chloe. The two hunters nodded downwards in greeting simultaneously.

"Good morning." Max glared at her silent companions, no doubt for their lack of politeness. "What's going on?" The tinkerer smiled back and turned his gaze onto Victoria.

"I've good news. I just finished the weapon to replace your hand _."_ The short haired hunter's eyes widened. Her full attention turned to the tinkerer.

"It's completed? No more tests and prototypes?"

"Well… I would recommend testing it out in the field just to be completely sure, you can never predict everything off of diagrams. Maybe you should take on a hunter's contract with Chloe and try it out then. If there's no problem, then it gets my sign of approval." Victoria smiled broadly at the news and she reached over and hugged the tinkerer with all her strength. She shook him with excitement. Warren laughed and pried himself away. Chloe found that she was also smiling, as was Max. Victoria's happiness was contagious.

"Can we go and test it out?" Chloe chuckled, the woman was as giddy as a child given a toy for their birthday.

"Of course… Why do you think I came over looking like this? I worked through the night to put the finishing touches onto it just so you could try it out today." Victoria stood up and grabbed onto Warren's arm. She practically dragged him out of his chair.

"Let's go!"

* * *

Warren unlocked the door to his yellow nomadic wagon and stepped inside, she could hear the sounds of the tinkerer rummaging around. The hunter stood next to Max and Victoria waiting. They had walked over to his residence in record time, mostly urged on by the pace Victoria had set. Chloe had to admit that she felt really excited to see the finished weapon herself. This was something that had been weeks in the waiting. After a few moments that felt like minutes, Warren stepped out of his wagon with a bundle of cloth. He made a show of unwrapping the item.

"Here it is…" The metal fist was somewhat different than the diagrams Chloe had seen a few weeks prior. Some elements remained of course but she guessed that changes had come as the tinkerer smoothed out the kinks in his device. The weapon was made using dark gray metal that Chloe assumed was of Warren's own invention. He had said that it would be more lightweight and durable than regular steel. It was a closed metal fist with four flat circles instead of the knuckles, she estimated they would be roughly a half inch in diameter each. The fist looked to be four inches across at its widest and eight inches long from top to bottom. There was a hole at the bottom made to fit Victoria's wrist that was three inches deep and covered in a layer of soft material. Two leather straps with interweaved mesh hung from its sides with a third much bigger and longer strap that connected with the base. "It weighs about three and a half pounds, a bit heavier than I intended but I couldn't make it any slimmer. It might lead to a bit of discomfort while getting used to it but I don't think it will hinder your mobility while in combat."

Warren offered his open palm. "May I?" Victoria got the message and offered up her left arm. The tinkerer moved the metal fist carefully over the stump until it was inside the base of the metal weapon. He made sure it fit snugly and then started to wrap the leather straps around her forearm up to her elbow. He tied the first into a leather connector and started wrapping the second in the opposing direction up. "These two straps go up to here, they'll keep the weapon steady when you move quickly and fire it. The third strap…" Warren finished with the second strap and grabbed onto the third. It was roughly twice the width of the others and three times the length. "Goes up to your shoulder and wraps around your entire arm multiple times, even over the previous straps." He demonstrated as he talked. When completed, Victoria's arm was tightly covered in leather. "The metal mesh that is interweaved is also of my own invention, it won't snap easily and it can take a lot of damage before giving way. The leather in the straps that's wrapped around it, is purely for comfort. Metal directly on skin is rarely a good idea." Victoria moved her arm around in a variety of quick motions. Thankfully it didn't seem hindered in the least and the metal fist didn't budge at all. It looked a bit odd however but Chloe guessed it couldn't be helped. She trusted that this was the best that Warren could do under the circumstances. At least there was intricate detail carved into the fist so it wasn't too much of an eyesore.

"I can work with this. It's heavy but manageable, I'm pretty sure I'll get used to it pretty quickly. The straps keep it snug too." As if to demonstrate, Victoria lunged out with the metal fist and pulled back. Then the hunter shook it from left to right violently. The weapon still held. "How durable is it?"

"You could block a sword with it if needed and it shouldn't do much more than scratch the fist. It should also be fairly resistant to heat and a small explosion. Should that happen, your arm will most likely be damaged but not the weapon itself. It'll work under water as well but I haven't tested the effects of firing it when submerged. I'd avoid it if possible simply for safety's sake. It works off of soundwaves and I'm not sure how it'll react in that environment. It'll be safe under heavy rain though, no worries there." He grabbed onto Victoria's arm and pointed at the back of the palm. There was an inch long thin ridged circle in the middle. The tinkerer put two fingers on it and pushed down. "This is the triggering mechanism, you push down hard and it will fire from the circles located where the knuckles should be. So point those towards the enemy. The weapon is off right now so nothing'll happen." Victoria tried it herself by bringing her other hand and making the same motion as the tinkerer had. "Be careful around that, it should be safe to bump into stuff and not fire accidentally but direct pressure applied to the trigger is still a worry. As a result, the default setting for the weapon is on stun. Cycling to a stronger setting and turning off the weapon will revert it back to stun once powered back on."

"How do I turn it on?" Warren turned her wrist and pointed at a small button under the metal thumb. He pressed on it and the knuckles glowed blue. A very faint crackling noise could be heard for a few seconds before giving way to silence.

"The energy source is a mix of very rare liquid metals that react to each other by forming energy. The energy is then stored and kept at maximum capacity. The sound you heard is the energy inside the palm flooding to the circles." Warren moved his finger to the thumbnail and pressed down. The circles changed colors from blue to orange, a stronger crackling noise reached Chloe's ears. He then pressed it again and it changed to red accompanied yet again by an even louder crackling, this time loud enough that it could be heard crisply. The tinkerer pressed the button one final time until the color rested back on blue.

"There are three cycles. Stun, Jolt and Lethal.  _Stun_  is the least damaging of the three and subsequently the quietest. When fired it sounds about as loud as if someone punched a door as hard as they could. The target will be knocked down hard, I'd imagine the strength to be equivalent to a being hit by a blacksmith's hammer. It's a more general blast radius so you don't need to aim for the head, shooting at their chest will suffice. It can reach up to ten yards but the closer you are, the more effective it is. The second cycle,  _Jolt_ , is less physical but stronger against single or armored foes. The target is hit with a powerful sound wave that is very damaging to the ears. It should take most enemies out of commission long enough to close the gap and finish them off. Armor will not protect against it. The radius is smaller however and you should try to aim for the head if possible. It makes a loud noise when fired so be wary of using it when you want to be undetected. The last cycle is appropriately named  _Lethal_. It will launch a very strong concussive blast that causes a strong eruption on the ground. Anybody within eight feet will take the brunt of the damage and will most likely not survive. As you get out of that radius, its strength drops rapidly. An enemy twelve feet away might be taken out of the fight and someone fifteen feet away may not even feel anything if he's armored. It should go without mention that shooting while on this cycle will bring about everyone's attention." Victoria was smiling broadly, no doubt imagining the chaos she could bring down with the weapon on her wrist. Chloe whistled appreciatively and Max mouthed 'Bloody hell' under her breath. This weapon was much stronger than anything the hunter could've come up with in her mind.

"Any recoil?" Victoria pointed the weapon towards an empty barrel.

"Some but not much. It does increase depending on the strength of the cycle but never to a point that could cause a problem. It's different that a jolt gauntlet in that regard. While weaker, the wearer doesn't need to absorb excess energy."

"How long can it last? How do I recharge it?"

"Each cycle takes certain amounts of energy per shot. At full capacity it will fire on estimate about eight Stun, four Jolt or two Lethal. You should use it only when needed because of its limit. If you expend all its energy it should take a full day for it to build back up to maximum once more." Warren smiled proudly at his invention. "Don't worry about maintenance. I built it in a way that requires none unless something breaks inside. If it stops working or you need replacements for the straps then you'll need to contact me. Don't worry too much about it though, it's built well and made to last." Chloe moved away from Max to take a closer look at the weapon. It felt cool to the touch despite the energy it held. She couldn't help but feel a tiny bit jealous of the weapon Victoria now owned. She reminded herself of the price the woman had paid for it. The hunter looked down at her own left hand, losing a limb was not worth the tradeoff.

"It needs a name. Every weapon of this caliber deserves one." Victoria looked back at Max who still stood a bit further back. "What do you think?" The witch furrowed her brow in thought for a moment before she spoke up.

" _Siuant_. It means 'Sonance' in the old magic tongue." Victoria smirked, she looked back down the metal fist and squinted slightly. "It seems appropriate. Warren says the weapon uses soundwaves."

"I like it.  _Siuant_  it is." Victoria used her right hand to press on the thumbnail of the fist and the blue glow shifted to orange. She pointed it at a lizard who was resting on a rock a good five yards away. "Let's try this thing out." She moved to press on the trigger and the tinkerer shoved the weapon away.

"Wait! I told you it makes a lot of noi…"

Chloe blinked hard a few times in succession. Her eyes were tearing up and she looked around in confusion. A powerful sense of disorientation overtook her and she put a hand to her forehead.  _"Wh…"_ It was hard to think. Forming coherent thought was beyond her at the moment.  _"I…"_ She saw the shocked faces of her three friends in front of her. A sudden pain reached her head. It felt as if someone was using icepicks to burrow into her mind. Each passing moment was more painful than the next. Her hands unconsciously reached her ears to cover them, a piercing wail overtook all sound. She couldn't hear anything else. However hard she pressed on her ears, the high pitched noise wouldn't falter. Chloe fell to her knees and shut her eyes as hard as she could. She could feel someone's hand over her shoulder.  _"Make it stop!"_ Warm liquid seeped through her fingers and ran down her hands. The noise kept growing in intensity. The pain kept building.  _"Make it…"_ A set of hands grabbed onto her head and what felt like an eternity passed. Her mind felt scrambled. The feeling ebbed away slowly and she felt assaulted by a myriad of senses. The high pitched wail gave way to voices.

"What the bloody hell did you do?!"

"It was him! I wasn't aiming for her…"

"I was just trying to stop Vic from firing. We're going to get any passing guards all over us in a few minutes investigating the noise."

"You made me shoot her!"

"It wasn't intentional!"

"ENOUGH!"

Chloe opened her eyes and was greeted with the sight of her three friends all staring back at her. Her eyes felt wet but she couldn't remember crying. She removed her hands from her ears and looked them over. Blood had stained her palms. She felt as if it had run down the side of her neck and under her shirt as well. Her memories came rushing back all at once and she flinched unconsciously when it skimmed over the wail she'd heard moments earlier.  _"So bloody loud..."_ Max grabbed onto her hands.

"Chloe? Are you alright?" She didn't answer right away. "Chloe..?!"

"Yeah… I… Just feeling a bit disoriented." Chloe stood up on shaky legs with the help of the witch. "What happened?" Max turned and scowled at the two others.

"They were being careless and they shot you with Vic's new weapon by accident." Chloe looked down at the metal fist. No lights shone on it, it seemed someone had turned it off after she'd been hit by the soundwave. "You two are so bloody lucky I was here! Look how much damage it did! Never point that thing at one of us again! Ever!"

"Max, I didn't mean to do it. I was aiming away from her until he hit my arm."

"Don't put this on me! I told you it made a ton of noise and you decided to shoot it in the middle of the bloody city. If anyone's to blame it's you…"

"I don't want to hear it. You're both at fault. Warren, grab what you need for the night. The damn thing made enough noise to attract any unwanted attention and I don't you in the area when they come looking. You can bunk with Madsen tonight. Vic…" Max inhaled sharply, she was seething. "Hide that thing under your cloak. I don't even want to see it right now." The two of them winced under the tense tone of the witch. Max just turned away from them and started walking back to the inn with Chloe leaning on her shoulder. The hunter still felt somewhat dizzy, the attack on her mind followed by a quick healing had taken its toll and she could feel a small headache creeping on the horizon.

"I hope I'm never again on the receiving end of that weapon. Never thought I'd find myself pitying Slither's enemies…"

"I can't believe them. He just finished explaining how bloody dangerous that thing was and then they proceed to shoot you with it." Chloe couldn't help but let out a small laugh. The whole scenario really was comical the more she thought about it. It would be at home in a gleeman's tale about three fools. Max glared at her and Chloe laughed a bit harder. "It's not funny."

"It's a bit funny."

"You're unbelievable…"


	28. A Pair Of Hunters

"Do you have everything you'll need for the trip?"

"Yes." Chloe was looking over Shadow's pack saddle carefully as she put the finishes touches to it. She grabbed the last bundle of cloth which contained enough dried meats, dried fruits and bread to last a good week. She placed the package on the side of the saddle, in the pocket that would be closest to her left hip. Gripping onto the strap with force, the hunter ran it through the leather connector and tied it snugly. She nodded to herself in satisfaction when she wiggled the bundle and it held strong. She looked over the witch at her side who was still frowning worriedly.

"What about the flint and steel? A blanket? You'll need enough coin too in case you run into any problems and need to pay for something." The hunter sighed softly. "You made sure to pack spare bolts in the saddle..?"

"Max for the millionth time… It's only a week. Stop worrying so much." The short brunette exhaled in frustration.

"I'm only trying to make sure that everything goes smoothly."

"And I appreciate it… Really. But I've lived out of my saddle for the majority of the last decade. I know what I'm doing." Chloe ran a hand through her freshly washed, shoulder length hair. She'd had it cut a day ago to avoid it growing too long and decided to keep it at that length instead of reverting to what she'd been sporting before reaching Beorf. Max had offhandedly remarked that she though it looked best on her that way. The hunter's decision hadn't been influenced by the comment in the least though. It was purely coincidental as far as she was concerned.

"Sorry… I don't mean to nag you. I'm just tense about having you go off to do a contract without having me close by… What if you get hurt? Let's be honest, you don't have the greatest track record for avoiding injuries…" Chloe frowned at that.

"That may be true but those injuries came from unprepared fights or accidents. My last dozen contracts have all gone flawlessly with the exception of the one where you decided to free a deranged creature who then proceeded to attack me." Max's face reddened in embarrassment at the mention of the incident. The witch looked down at her shoes. "I'm a hunter and a damn good one. Nothing'll happen to me, alright?"

"Not to mention she's taking backup along." Victoria walked up to the pair while wiping her brow with a handkerchief. She was sweating from the long sparring session she'd just had with Kate. The short blonde was following right behind her with Pompidou in tow. "I doubt there's any target the two of us couldn't handle together." Victoria grinned smugly and she lifted the metal fist attached to her left arm. "Besides… I feel like I could take on the best of them with this." The glare Max shot her made her stop in her tracks. Madsen made his way to join the group, he took a place next to Kate and remained silent.

"You better make sure you aim properly this time." Victoria opened her mouth to reply but Kate cut her off.

"Why can't I come along with you two? Vic…"

"I said no Kate. You'll stay here and train with Madsen some more while I'm away. I don't want you out in the field yet." Kate's lips thinned as she held her tongue, the woman was clearly displeased with the decision made. The short blonde had been begging to come along with the two hunters since Chloe had picked up wind of a contract two weeks ago in a small tavern. It had been the same night she'd been shot by Vic and Warren. As luck would have it, the group of men she'd decided to sit next to, were discussing a lucrative contract in a village a good three days' ride away. The hunter had asked a few questions and filed it in her head for when she ran out of profitable contracts in Frauy.

"Are you ready to go?" Chloe's question was answered in the form of a curt nod. Victoria had packed her own belongings in a tall black horse earlier in the morning. Victoria gave the two women staying behind a hug each and a firm handshake for the Impact before getting into her saddle. Chloe did the same.

"If you aren't back in a week, I'll come looking for you." The witch whispered in her ear softly and they broke their embrace. "Take care of yourself."

"Have a safe trip." Madsen's gruff voice was the last thing Chloe heard as she swung herself onto Shadow and heeled him into motion towards the city gate and away from her group of friends.

* * *

The grass reflected the water from the morning dew as the pair of hunters silently rode their mounts towards the direction of the village they were seeking. A light breeze ruffled her hooded cloak and made Chloe shiver. The last three days had been very enjoyable in their own right. The two women got along great and neither tired of hearing about the others' adventures. Victoria seemed full of energy as she stood back straight and holding onto the reins of her horse with her right hand.

"How much longer did he say it would take him?"

"Warren told me he'd probably be done by the time we came back from this excursion." The blue-scarred hunter replied to the question and brought down her hood. It was easier to see the other woman this way. The action was mimicked by her fellow hunter an instant later. The sun shone brightly and Chloe could feel her scar glowing intensely under its rays.

"That's quicker than I thought."

"He told me that he's actually been taking his time for the last three diagrams. I'll give him this… That tinkerer is the smartest man I've ever met. Maybe I could convince him to come with us on our mission. What do you think?" Victoria seemed to mull the question over.

"He'd be useless in a fight but if we kept him back…" She shrugged. "His intelligence and resourcefulness certainly beats any of ours. He'd be quite an ally." A wicked smile grew on the other hunter's face. "I'm sure Max could talk him into coming along." Chloe didn't respond. She ground her teeth in irritation and ignored the last statement altogether.

"I need to have a serious talk with you about Kate." Victoria chuckled at the quick change of subject but otherwise seemed content in letting Chloe continue. "You're the closest to her out of all of us." Chloe locked eyes with the other hunter. "You're the one who decided against having her join us on this contract. I respected the choice because I trusted you knew best. I need you to be honest with me. Is she ready for Fireheart Castle? Can she handle it?" Victoria's face dropped somewhat, it was clear the hunter was deep in thought.

"I… Madsen seems to think so."

"I didn't ask you what Madsen thought. He's a good man and I trust him but I want  _your_  opinion. You knew Kate before she was captured, you were there when she was rescued, and you've trained her every day of the last two months. Can she do this?"

"Physically… Yes. She's grown good enough at fighting with those short swords of hers and Pompidou is great at covering whatever flaws she still has. That duo will be fine in the heat of a battle, I'm almost positive of it." The short haired hunter hesitated. "I'm really worried about her state of mind. Some days she seems almost like her old self, laughing and so full of life. But other days… I'm worried she might not be mentally prepared to join the conflict. Her hatred for Prescott and all his men is so strong that I sometimes worry that she'll be consumed by it." Chloe breathed out softly, it was about what she expected to hear.

"We can't have someone who's not ready on the field when the fighting starts. The enemy will be trained soldiers and executioners, the Raven and the High Lord's general. The stakes will be through the roof and one wrong move could get us all killed." Victoria's eyes took on a look of fierce determination.

"She's ready." The blue-scarred hunter nodded.

"I trust you. If you say she's ready, then she's ready." Her fellow hunter seemed appeased at her reply. They rode in silence for a few minutes before Chloe spoke again. "I've been meaning to ask you something since we left Frauy."

"Mmm? Is that right?" Victoria looked intrigued.

"I asked Kate about your group's arrival in the city. To make sure you all managed to come in smoothly of course… but she seemed real dodgy about the details. Madsen too, now that I think about it…" Victoria stiffened on her saddle, she looked away to the tree line. Chloe couldn't help but smirk. "That guard that we passed on the way out a few days ago also acted oddly around you. I couldn't help but notice that he left to go inside the gatekeeper's hut after he saw us instead of staying at his post. He also kept glancing at you on the way by…"

"So?" The other hunter responded with such forced nonchalance that Chloe couldn't help but smile even more broadly.

"Wouldn't happen to know why? Would you?"

"Nope."

"I also heard a pretty weird tale in a tavern about a month back. A couple of drunk guards were sharing a story about how a woman disarmed and threatened to kill a fellow city guard they didn't like. Sounds crazy right? They seemed to find it absolutely hilarious. Apparently they watched from the top of the wall as he bowed with a flourish and called her  _duchess._  They practically howled with laughter as they explained that he was too embarrassed to report to the reigning lord that he got bested by an injured woman with one hand." Victoria's head whipped around, staring at her with incredulity. Chloe burst out laughing once their eyes met. She found herself struggling to breathe as her fellow hunter watched her, mouth agape.

"You!? You did that!? How!?" Chloe tried to speak but a new fit of laughter rolled over her. Victoria's eyes narrowed, she was not happy in the slightest. A moment passed before Chloe regained some of her composure. She was still smiling broadly.

"I have my ways… To be honest, I wasn't even sure that anything happened since you never mentioned the interaction. I only got suspicious when I asked Kate about it and she acted like she didn't remember. That woman can't lie properly to save her life." Victoria gritted her teeth and scowled.

"The bloody man even had the gall to stick out his hand after telling me where you were, as if I would pay him for doing his bloody job! He's lucky I didn't knock him on his ass." Chloe snickered some more.

"You never did explain to me why you hate nobles and royalty so much." Victoria sniffed pointedly and she stared forward and away.

"I'll get you back for this Blue. I swear it." Chloe's eyebrow rose in amusement.

"Sure you will…"

* * *

The next few hours were spent in comfortable silence which was only broken as they rode up to the small village ahead.

"Where's our contact?"

"The men I spoke to in the tavern said he was the mayor. He lives in his wife's inn across from the blacksmith's forge." Victoria's eyes scanned the small buildings as they rode past the first wooden house. A few people stuck their heads out of windows to look at the pair and most gawked for more than a few moments. A group of young children stopped playing around with their wooden swords to observe them. Chloe guessed that this village didn't get many travelers coming by. Both hunters swung off their mounts once they reached the blacksmith's forge. Chloe flexed her legs and hopped up and down to get the blood flowing in her lower body. Shadow nudged her with his nose and she smirked.  _"Someone's a little impatient."_ Reaching into the pack saddle, the hunter took out a large carrot and fed the black warhorse.

"Do you know any details about the contract?" Chloe shook her head.

"Only that the man was offering a reward of one hundred and fifty gold." Victoria's eyebrows rose in surprise and she took another look at the small village.

"Are you sure you didn't mishear? I don't mean to sound rude but I find it hard to believe that this entire village could scrounge up even half that altogether."

"I had them say it to me three times. But now that I'm here in the flesh…" She tied Shadow to a post. "I'm starting to have my own doubts about that."

"Let's hope we didn't come by for nothing. I'd hate to come back to Warren empty handed. We only need another hundred to pay him off fully."

"Come on. Only one way to find out." Chloe took the lead and headed towards the inn. She opened the door and looked around. There was nobody hanging around the common room. "Hello! Anyone here?!" A loud thump from upstairs answered her. A thin motherly woman rushed down the stairs. She wore a large apron around her waist and carried a dirty rag in her left hand. She smiled warmly.

"Welcome to  _The_   _Hound's Vigor_. Are you two looking for a roo..?" The woman's eyes widened when she glanced over Chloe's face. Her eyes locked onto the blue scar that was glowing faintly in the dimly lit room. The woman recovered quickly and she yelled out excitedly in the direction of the stairs leading upstairs. "Dan! Come down here! Quickly!" The woman ushered the pair of hunters to a table. She spoke quickly before Chloe could get a word in. "I never thought Dan's contract would attract a hunter like you! In all my years… The stories I've heard. Can I get you anything to drink? It's on the house… Dan!" A muffled shout came from the second floor and Chloe tried once more to speak. "If anyone can find our daughter, it's you. You'll be able to get her back for us won't you?"

"What the bloody hell are you shouting at me for?" The robust man who made his way down stopped in his track once Victoria and Chloe turned his way. His brown eyes went to Chloe's scar, then her crossbow, then to Victoria's metal fist before finally resting once more on the Blue Hunter's scar. "Thank the lord. I've been waiting so long for a hunter to come. It's been a month since I spread the word of the contract but nobody has come by."

"That doesn't seem right at all." Chloe mused out loud. "You did offer one hundred and fifty gold coins as I've heard, right? If that's so, I can't believe not one hunter tried his luck at this contract." The big man scratched at his bearded chin, he looked absolutely furious.

"I wish I could take back that initial offer. Trust me on that. Not because I can't pay up mind you, but rather because it seems to have scared every one of them away. I'm good for the coin but I guess every hunter nearby thought it was a ruse or that I was lying since our village is quite poor. The high number of coin was supposed to be a strong incentive to get this resolved quickly but all it did was ensure that nobody took me seriously. A whole month has passed and not a single soul has come to contact me about my contract." Chloe could see what the mayor meant all too well. There was no way that she would even entertain the idea of coming here if she'd known what this village looked like beforehand. It reeked of a man desperate for a hunter who was lying about the reward in hopes of attracting a good one. She'd fallen for that once before in her first year. If it was too good to be true…

"We'll need to see the coin upfront if you don't mind. Just to be sure of course." Victoria spoke up from her chair. The man's gaze fell on the woman who was staring back at him with no discernable expression on her face.

"Of course... Give me one moment." The man went back up the stairs only to return a moment later with a large bag. He dropped it on the table in front of Chloe. The hunter reached for it and opened it, the bag was filled with gold coins. It seemed about the right amount. She reached inside and inspected a randomly chosen piece before placing it back satisfied. The coins were real.

"If you don't mind me asking. How did you come across such a large sum? I'd wager anybody with that much coin would be living in a city and not some village in the middle of nowhere." Chloe posed her question bluntly, there was no nice way of asking it but she was curious to say the least.

"My son is thief." The man replied to her just as candidly. "He's a good man at heart though. He cares for his family, he comes by every year to drop off what he can spare to help us along. For that, he's earned my respect." He glared at her as if to see if she would challenge him on it.

"I was simply curious. You'll find no judgement from either of us."

"You mentioned that your daughter is missing. Is this why you've put up a contract?" Victoria's gentle tone was directed at the woman who had taken a seat next to her husband.

"She went missing a month ago." The innkeeper started to wring her hands, they were shaking slightly. "One day she was helping me in the kitchen and I sent her out to get water from the well to wash the floors. She never came back and we haven't seen her since."

"Do you have anything more to go on than that?"

"We know who did it." That peaked both hunter's interest. Victoria leaned forward in her chair, her metal limb lightly scraping the table's surface. The man continued. "There's a group of men that hang around these parts. They never come in the village but they look real threatening and they sometimes watch us from far. They had to be the ones who did it. Ever since they showed up two month's past, we've had four women go missing. Most folks here are too scared to go off on their own and I've warned my people that all children and women should be accompanied by at least two armed men when they leave the village. I can't think of anyone else who could want to bring harm to my daughter, she was only fifteen." The man's started to wipe a large hand at his eyes, he sniffled loudly. "I wanted to confront them but nobody else in the village want to help 'cause they're afraid. I didn't know where else to turn so I put up the contract but then no hunters came by to help. I waited too long and it's too late to go back. It's been a month now and… I hope… I hope she's still… It's my fault…" The man broke down and Chloe exchanged a quick glance with Victoria. They both knew it was unlikely that the daughter still lived. "Please… All that coin is yours… Just… Please bring her back to us… Alive or… or…" The man broke down once more, he placed his face into his hands and sobbed loudly. His wife had unshed tears glistening in her eyes, but she held the man and whispered soothing words in his ears. She turned to face Chloe.

"I don't know where they're camped but it can't be far from here. Please bring her back to us."

"We'll do our best." She avoided giving a promise. Giving the two any kind of hope at this point would only be cruel. Victoria stood up and they both made a brisk pace towards the door of the inn. She hoped against all odds that her gut was wrong.


	29. Twisted Shadows

Victoria took the lead as the two hunters proceeded to walk back towards where they had left their horses. Shadow was grazing on a tall patch of grass next to his front hooves. Chloe walked up to her mount and untied the reins from the post before swinging herself into his saddle.

"Where do you want to start? We've got little to no information about the group's whereabouts." Victoria posed the question and heeled her horse to a canter towards the other side of the village.

"I suppose we could start over by the well that the innkeeper mentioned but I doubt it'll be of much use." Chloe moved Shadow next to the other horse so that the two hunters could talk with more discretion. "If the daughter was taken a month past, then it's likely any trails have long since disappeared. Dan said that they roam the area and that they've been at this for at least two months which would suggest that they have an encampment somewhere." Victoria nodded pensively.

"They'd need somewhere distant but not too far from the village. Somewhere they wouldn't be spotted and could keep the women captive. It also means they won't be on the move, they have a permanent base of operation somewhere."

"There can't be too many of them though. This village is small and I doubt they have the means to protect themselves against ten or so armed men. Yet they haven't been attacked outright. They're picking off women who go out alone, probably to mitigate the risk of injury to their own men. So maybe anywhere in between three to seven targets. It'll make it harder to find a small group like that."

"I agree. There's far too much forest around here. It could take us weeks to inspect even a fraction of it and that's assuming they chose to hide in there."

"You think we'll find their daughter?" Victoria sighed, she shook her head.

"No. If this is a trafficking operation like I'm inclined to believe… Those rely on keeping the victim on the move and passing them on to the next group quickly. Their daughter was probably shipped out within the week she was captured." Chloe found herself agreeing with the hunter's words. It would take a miracle to find the girl.

"So what do we do Vic? I don't think we'll find her either, even if we tracked this group all the way to the next and then the next… All the way to the top of the chain. Chances are that their daughter has already been sold off to some unknown person and taken to some unknown place. We also don't have the time to take down an operation of this size in two days. Getting paid rests on the assumption that we find their daughter. Without her, there's no way to complete the contract."

"We could leave. We didn't take the coin in advance so it's not too late to turn back and regroup in Frauy." Chloe glanced at the scowling hunter riding next to her. Victoria didn't look happy to utter those words. It was clear that both hunters felt the same way.

"It doesn't feel right letting those men roam around and pick off whoever they want. This village is at their mercy."

"We won't be paid for this…"

"Do you care?"

"No."

"I don't either." They stopped their mounts at the village's edge, next to a small wooden house. There was a large forest to their left. Dead ahead and to the right were long stretches of plains and hills.

"So what do you want to do?" Victoria's eyes squinted off into the distance as she took on their surroundings. Chloe took a moment to consider their next move, it seemed that the short haired hunter was deferring to her command.

"I say we hunt down the group of men working in this area and take them out of commission, permanently. It'll only be a small blow to a much larger operation but at least it'll keep the village safe. And maybe… Maybe this'll offer some sort of closure to Dan and his wife. At least they'll know that the people directly responsible for taking their daughter were dealt with. It's not much but it's all we can really do."

"Sounds like a plan…" A loud coughing fit made both hunters turn on their saddle to look to Chloe's right. A short elderly woman was making her way slowly towards them. She spoke with a raspy voice that showed years of wear.

"It's dangerous out there lasses. Come down from your horses and come share a cup of tea with me until we can get the mayor to round up some of our men to help you on your way safely. It shouldn't take too long…" The old woman coughed once again.

"Don't worry about us Ma'am. We know how to take care of ourselves." Victoria smiled back at the woman warmly. "It's a very nice offer though."

"You wouldn't happen to know where the town well is situated, would you? I'd like to go fill up my gourd and water my horse before our long trip." Chloe asked the question quickly after Victoria was finished talking. She didn't want the old woman to try again to convince them to stay.

"It's down that way…" She pointed to Chloe's right towards a hill. "It's been a long, long while since I've gone there though so my memory might be somewhat rusty. It's somewhere on the other side of the hill."

"Thank you so much. Have a nice day." Victoria smiled once more and signaled with her head to Chloe. Both hunters took off at a steady pace towards the direction the stranger had pointed out.

It seemed that the woman's memory had proven itself true, the small ride over the hill had brought them right to the old well. It was made of stones piled onto each other with a small wooden triangular roof hovering over it. It was about two paces in diameter and looked old enough to fall apart at the touch. Cracks and missing stones told the story of its age and up keeping. Chloe swung off her horse to take a closer look while Victoria laid back in her saddle and looker over the area from her vantage point. The hunter noticed a worn trail heading to village but nothing really out of the ordinary. There were horse prints around but still nothing that would give a clue as to the targets' location. Another few minutes of close investigation led to the same conclusion and Chloe finally grunted in dissatisfaction.

"You have any luck?" Chloe asked the question with an edge in her voice, she wasn't overly happy with the lack of a trail. Victoria looked down at her.

"None. Just as you said. Anything that could have been useful has been gone for a long time." The blue-scarred hunter got on Shadow's back once more before looking up to the sky. It was still well into the day.

"Let's put ourselves in their boots. If you were a trafficker, where would you go? Keep in mind that they need to be close enough to the village, yet far enough away and sheltered from view." Victoria mulled it over for a few moments.

"I wouldn't stay around this area. It's too open in the plains which is just asking for trouble. The forest is a good spot of course but…"

"Difficult to protect against retaliation from the village if you have a small number of men. Also easier for a victim to make a break for it and hide." Victoria nodded.

"Right… So possible but unlikely if they're smart."

"The top of a hill or a cave?"

"Sounds more likely. A cave would be best, one that's hidden from view. You could have a spotter on top of the hill looking into all directions to know if someone is approaching. Easy to defend against an attack too and a victim would be stopped the instant she tried to make her way past a sentry at its opening. Also a good place to hold captives until you're ready to ship them away to the next group. A hilltop would suffice if they can't find a proper cave."

"So we've narrowed it down somewhat" Chloe remarked.

"Still leaves quite a bit of land to explore."

"Mmmhm." She exhaled slowly. Chloe looked around and booted Shadow into motion towards the far right. "Let's start looking. We've only got so much daylight before nightfall."

"We could split up to cover more ground." Chloe shook her head.

"No. If they have a spotter, we'll look like a more appealing target by ourselves and we might get shot with an arrow that we didn't see coming. If we stick together it's more likely that they'll just let us pass by. They clearly aren't looking for a fair fight." Victoria started after the hunter and the two began their search.

* * *

They'd been looking around on horseback for the better part of the last five hours with no luck. Chloe was about to call it in and head back to the village for the night before she heard Victoria utter a curse under her breath.

"What's wrong?"

"I just spotted a man. He's on our left, on the hill with the oak tree sticking out from the side." Chloe turned her head slightly and reached down to a bundle on her pack saddle next to her left hip. She felt at it unconsciously and tried to get a look of the man with her peripheral vision. It wasn't pitch black outside but the sun certainly wasn't lighting the hilltop well enough for the hunter to catch a good look. "He's in the big red shrub, bottom left corner." Chloe shifted once more and finally managed a steal small glance at the corner of her eye. They were separated by a distance of roughly eighty yards. He was well hidden, it was almost impossible to tell he was there except for the slight movement of the shrub when the man turned his head to keep them in his vision. Chloe found herself impressed at her fellow hunter's perception.

"Good catch." Chloe went back to a normal riding posture. "You've got a better angle on him. What do you think we should do?" Victoria didn't reply right away, both hunters slowed their mounts to a trot.

"He's not reaching for a bow, I think he means to let us pass and report what he saw. That could be dangerous, we'll lose the element of surprise. If we rush him, he'll shout and we have the same problem."

"Let's double back and hit them tomorrow. They won't expect it then."

"Could you make that shot?" Chloe's eyes widened. That was the last thing she'd expected to hear.

"That's asking for trouble. Hitting a target at this range when he has eyes on us… He'll just step aside the moment I lift my crossbow and the bolt will miss him."

"But you could get him if he doesn't move?"

"Yes…"

"I want this done tonight. You've got daggers, a blade and a crossbow on you and I've got a metal fist attached to my bloody arm. There's no way they'll think of us as travelers. If they think a pair of hunter finally took Dan's contract seriously they might get spooked and pack up."

"How do you want to go about this?"

"I'll split off from you and head closer to him. You get behind cover and dismount. If he tries to line up a shot on me, he'll have to get out in the open." Chloe bit her lip, it was a risky maneuver that offered great benefit if successful.

"Alright. Let's do it." The duo exchanged a look and moved in different directions. Victoria moved to the left, in a straight line towards the man. Chloe to the right, around a small hill that stood taller than her horse.

Once she was out of sight, the hunter leaped off the horse and scrambled up the small hill on her belly. Shadow didn't budge a step, he was trained not to move when the reins were dropped. She unslung her crossbow and hurriedly reached for a bolt in the leather bag on her back. Grasping one with her fingers, she smoothly loaded the crossbow and put her right eye to the silver spyglass attached to the handle. The man had moved out of his hiding spot and was now hiding behind a tree. He was holding onto a long bow and a single arrow. Her target was closer to a hundred yards away now, she had to wait until the man left cover and exposed himself. A small breeze ruffled her cloak but she barely noticed it, her focus was entirely on the scene unfolding itself in front of her. She took a moment to steady her breath. In one smooth motion, the man moved a pace away from the tree and brought the fletching to cheek. Chloe fired. She watched through the spyglass as her broad head bolt flew at its target and connected with the man's face. The bolt rammed through the bridge of his nose and ripped its way free right out the back of his head. He dropped to the ground lifelessly and his body rolled off the side of the hill. The hunter felt relieved. She joined Victoria a few moments later at the base of the hill, the woman was looking over the corpse of the man. The bolt had torn up the front of his face, his clothes were covered in blood. Victoria's head turned back to Chloe once she got closer.

"Good shot."

"Damn right. You get worried?"

"Never. I trusted that you'd take him down before he ran an arrow through me." Chloe smiled and crouched to pat down the corpse. She found a handful of silver coins for her trouble.

"Let's leave the horses behind. Seems we've found where our targets are hiding." Victoria nodded.

Both women made their way silently around the hill until they found what they were looking for. On the opposite side of the hill where they had left the two horses, an opening led into a cave. It was covered very well by a large array of small trees and vines. Chloe couldn't see how deep it was but she could hear loud shouting emanating from the inside. An orange hue flickered on the walls of the cave to offer lighting, the targets had a fire somewhere inside. Victoria placed her hand on the hunter's shoulder and then pointed to her back. Chloe got the message. She unslung her crossbow and loaded it prior to entering the enemy's base. She might not have time to do so later. Victoria for her part turned on the metal fist on her left arm. A small crackling noise could be heard as the circles on its knuckles shone blue. Chloe took the lead and started down the cave's mouth, she reached her destination in a good ten paces. The cave grew bigger exponentially the further down they went until she reached a good sized area that looked to be fifteen paces across in each direction. She could hear the man that was shouting a lot more clearly now.

"I'm tired of this bullshit! We've been sitting on our asses for the last three weeks doing absolutely nothing!" The voice's owner sounded somewhat deranged, it jumped up and down in pitch as he spoke.

"Calm down! I've told you that the mayor is trying to contact a hunter so we just need to lay low until it's safe to go back. Then we go back to taking more of their women." A second deeper voice answered the first.

"I'M NOT SCARED OF SOME BLOODY HUNTERS AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT CAPTURING WOMEN!" The first man's voice lowered to just above a whisper, the words escaping his mouth sounded as deadly as a sword leaving its sheath. "I'm better than that now… Stronger… I don't need the measly amount of coin they offer us. This makes me invincible. Hell… I could slaughter a whole battalion by my lonesome..." Chloe peeked around the corner to see the unhinged man shaking his fist. He was tall and lean with long black hair that reached past his shoulders. A ring on the man's finger was the center of attention, the three other men sitting down by the fire were all looking straight at it. She felt her mouth drop open when she got a good look at the man's eyes. They were completely black, not even a hint of white showed.

"I don't know what the hell has gotten into you over the last month but it stops now! You were the one that wanted us to get in with this lot in the first place! They know where our families live and if we abandon our post, they die! That's on you! Because  _you_  got us involved with them! This isn't up for debate, we stay here and follow orders!" The big burly man who sat closest to the wall had stood up and was shouting back at the man with the black eyes.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT! THINK WHAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH NOW! WE COULD KILL ANY WHO OPPOSE US! STEAL AND LOOT FROM ANYONE WE WISH!" Spittle flew from the man's mouth from the intensity of his shouting. The atmosphere in the cave was palpable.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!? WHAT ABOUT YOUR WIFE?! YOUR TWO KIDS?! I SEEM TO REMEMBER YOU BEING THE ONE THAT SAID WE SHOULD DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID BECAUSE YOU WERE SCARED FOR THEM! YOU MIGHT'VE CHANGED YOUR MIND, BUT I WONT RISK  _MY_  FAMILY!" The big man was now red faced with anger, he was getting closer. His right hand hovered near the dagger by his side. Suddenly, a black wispy shadow clutched at the man's throat and lifted him a foot off the ground. The lean fellow with the black eyes leaned forward intensely. His frame seemed to shimmer, black outlines of himself were shifting next to his body in constant movement. It made Chloe blink her eyes repeatedly from the strain of trying to focus on him.

"MY FAMILY?! WHY SHOULD SOMEONE LIKE ME BE SADDLED DOWN BY A FAMILY?! THEY ARE NOTHING BUT A WEAKNESS TO BE EXPLOITED! LET THEM DIE!" Black shadowy wisps escaped the man's mouth as he yelled, dissipating in the air a hand span away. The burly man's face betrayed his absolute terror. The two men at his side had stood up and were cowering at the end of the cave. A hand touched Chloe's shoulder and she almost shrieked. Victoria was leaning against her, eyes wide with terror. "I'M DONE WITH BEING A LACKY! I'LL FIGHT AND CONQUER ANY I CAN FIND! COMMON FOLK WILL TREMBLE AT THE MENTION OF MY NAME!" The crazed man's hand tightened to a fist and the man hovering over the ground screamed. Black mist rose from the ground and surrounded him, suffocating his shouts. His flesh started to boil, blood oozed from his pores until his skin was coated in a layer of red. Chloe looked away, gagging. The stench of burning flesh filled the cave. The two men that had been trying to stay still at the end of the cave finally broke and ran for the exit. The tall man's hand rose and a black filmy bolt of lightning escaped his fingers to strike one man who was fleeing. He fell and slid to the ground devoid of life with a hole in his back. The second man's ankles were suddenly surrounded by shadowy wisps and he was sent flying backwards like a doll thrown by a petulant child. He was sent into the side of the cave with violent speed, the sounds of bones shattering echoed once he connected to the surface. "I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WOULD BETRAY ME! I CANT TRUST ANYONE!" The man was still yelling at the corpse of the man he had killed moments before, his black outline shifting rapidly. His eyes were now leaking dark wisps just like his mouth.

Chloe backed up quickly in fear and she ended up shouldering Victoria who was still crouched behind her. Both hunters tripped over each other and fell to the ground. The man's head whipped towards the sound and he snarled like a rabid dog. Chloe brought up the crossbow she held and shot a bolt at his face. He brought up his hand and the broad head bolt shattered into smaller pieces before reaching him. The splinters tore into his neck and face like shrapnel but he didn't react. Black filmy wisps escaped his skin where the pieces had cut flesh and the small wounds closed back up on their own as if healed by a witch's touch. Victoria scrambled to her feet and ran into the cave, her metal fist glowing blue. A loud  _bang_  echoed in the cave and the man was propelled back first into the cave's wall. He grunted as Victoria closed the distance and stabbed him with her dagger in the neck. Chloe loaded another bolt as a black filmy bubble shot out of his body. The attacking hunter and all the scattered items lying about were suddenly thrown through the air and away from him. Victoria landed on the ground next to the fire, heaving for breath. The man raised his hand to her friend and Chloe loosed another bolt before throwing her weapon aside and taking out her enchanted blade from between her shoulders. The bolt struck the man in the side of the head and he stumbled back. An alarming amount of black smoky shadows leaked from the man's neck and head. The bolt was embedded deeply, as was the dagger, but he still stood as if nothing had happened.

Shadows suddenly wrapped around Chloe's head, impairing her vision and suffocating her. The hunter clawed at her neck but her fingers found nothing but her own skin. She could feel cold tendrils seeping into her lungs, eyes and ears. They twisted in her body and enveloped every organ, every blood cell. Her body felt colder than ice, there was no air left in her lungs. She tried screaming but nothing escaped her lips.  _"I'm going to die!"_  Another  _bang_  and she was freed. The hunter took in a large wheezing breath, her whole body trembled and shook violently.

She saw Victoria's metal fist glowing orange, pointing straight at the man who was now kneeling on the ground. He held onto the side of his head, black wisps leaking from his ears. She shot once more and the man grunted, his outlines were slowing down their frenzied shaking. Chloe ran the few paces required until she stood over him and she swung her enchanted blade down onto his left shoulder, separating the arm from the body. Black clouds rose from the open wound, obstructing her vision. Victoria landed a solid kick into the man's chest and he fell to the ground. Thousands of tiny birds made of shadows sprung from his mouth and rammed into the hunters, sending them to the ground. The man rushed to his feet, his missing arm not fazing him at all. Victoria raised her metal fist, it glowed bright blue and sent the man a stumbling a few feet into the wall behind him once more. Chloe got up with her hand covering her face, the tiny birds were pecking at her exposed skin. She got right next to him and this time swung for the man's right hand. The moment it severed the limb, the shadows dancing around the hunters dissipated. Smoke rose from the man's eyes and he screamed as his body crumpled to ash. Chloe fell to her knees, her lungs felt on fire and her breathing was labored. She turned her head in panic.

"VIC?!" Victoria rose slowly from the ground, she had small lacerations around her hands and face from the fall she'd taken but nothing serious. She stood on shaky legs and wobbled slightly as she made her way closer.

"I'm alright Blue… You?" Chloe closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing to no avail. She could feel the adrenaline pumping in her veins. She swallowed hard, her thoughts running a mile a minute.

"I thought I was going to die..." The thought of the black tendrils made her hands shake uncontrollably. Victoria kneeled down next to her.

"So did I. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life." Chloe looked over the pile of clothes and ash in front of her. She saw a golden glint reflecting out of a smaller pile and bent down to blow on it. The ashes gave way to a golden ring with a socketed onyx gem. Victoria reached for it and Chloe batted her hand away quickly.

"Don't touch it! I don't know what that thing does but I'm bloody sure we shouldn't touch it." Chloe took an empty coin pouch off the ground and carefully placed the ring inside with the help of a dagger. "I'll bring it back to Frauy, maybe Max will know what it is." She wrapped the coin pouch tightly in a layer of torn cloth before placing it in her pocket. Victoria shrugged and got up. Both hunters spent the next few minutes searching the small cave for anything useful. Neither hunter looked in the direction of half liquefied corpse, the smell permeating the air was still making Chloe nauseous. The hunter finally found what they were looking for under a pile of rubble that had been knocked loose in the fighting. "Vic."

"What is it?" She moved closer to peek over Chloe's shoulder. The blue-scarred hunter was holding a small leather bound notepad. Inside were locations and dates ranging up half a year ago. Many names and numbers were scrawled onto the side, next to the dates. These men had been good at their work, Chloe counted up to nineteen names before she forced herself to stop. The last name on the list had been shipped off roughly a month ago, it didn't say to whom or where to.  _"Andrea, 15."_

"Burn them!" Victoria scowled and looked away. Chloe had known that this would probably be what they would find but it still stung. There was nothing either of them could do for the girl now. "Do we tell them? It might be less cruel to just say that she's dead."

"I don't know. I need to sleep on this, my back is sore and my body feels like it's shutting down on me."

"Let's get out of here then. There's no way I'm sleeping in here." Victoria turned and headed for the exit. Chloe shoved the notebook in her pocket and followed shortly after.


	30. And Then There Were Six

Chloe sat by the small fire she'd started earlier in the morning. She hadn't been able to sleep properly, dreams of last night's encounter had plagued her and she had found herself waking in a cold sweat. She shivered slightly. She'd been close to death before but in those very rare occasions, it had always felt somewhat peaceful despite the situation. That hadn't been the case for the battle that had transpired just a half day ago. She had been terrified then and rightfully so. It would've been a horrible way to die. The hunter looked over the object she held in her left hand. The leather bound notepad she had taken from the trafficker's cave was frustrating her to no end. Not the object itself but rather the choice it entailed. Victoria mumbled something in her sleep and shifted to her side on the cloak she'd spread on the ground.  _"At least one of us is getting some rest."_ Her eyes dropped down once more to the notepad. Her choice solidified itself in her mind and the hunter dropped the small object into the flames in front of her. The acrid smell of burning leather reached her nose as the flames engulfed and did away with the item.

"I guess that means you've decided what to do." Chloe looked to Victoria. The other hunter stretched on the ground and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She picked up her cloak and brushed off the dirt and debris while glancing at the fire.

"It'd be cruel to let them know that she's alive out there, trapped and enslaved with no chance at escape. Better to let them mourn her and move on with their lives." Victoria didn't answer. "Would you want to know if you were in their place?"

"No. There are rare times in one's life where ignorance could be considered a blessing. This… This is one of them." Chloe nodded thoughtfully. Victoria got up and walked the short distance to their mounts. She came back with a small bundle of food and separated the remains between them equally. Chloe made a mental note to restock their provisions before their trip back to Frauy as she bit into a rough piece of dried meat. This was one of the few aspects of living from the saddle that she didn't enjoy. The hunter found herself looking forward to the tasty meals she'd no doubt order once back at Heindal's Shield. She wondered what Max was up to right this moment.  _"She's probably still curled up under a warm blanket and sleeping like a bloody rock."_ Chloe grinned at the thought. _"I basically have to drag her out of bed and force her to get up so that she doesn't waste the whole day away."_

"Copper for your thoughts?" Victoria was smirking at her with an expression that said she already had an inkling of who was currently preoccupying Chloe's mind.

"Just looking forward to getting back to Frauy." The blue-scarred hunter shrugged under the woman's piercing eyes. She wasn't lying.

"Well the quicker we get on with it…" Victoria bunched up the cloth in her hand before shoving it in her pocket and getting up. Chloe stretched her own legs and kicked sand over the fire to extinguish it. She made sure to cover it properly just like her father had taught her all those years ago. She put her own empty cloth into Shadow's saddle and swung deftly onto his back in one smooth motion. The ride over to the village was short and uneventful, the two hunters had camped on a hill bordering it so that they'd be in close proximity come morning. If they rode fast and left early, they could make the journey back to the city in two days.

They rode up to the entrance of the inn in silence and walked inside the common room. It was empty save for the woman who was cleaning the mugs diligently. She glanced up, her eyes passed by them and scanned at the door behind the two hunters with a small glint of hope. A long moment passed. The innkeeper finally broke her gaze away, sniffed loudly and wiped her eye with the rag she held. She forced out a smile in their direction.

"Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll be back shortly." The two hunters nodded in unison and chose to sit at the table closest to the door while the woman went upstairs. Twenty or so minutes passed before she came back downstairs with her husband in tow. Their eyes were red and puffy, it looked as if they'd both been crying heavily. Chloe supposed that the woman had shared the depressing news in confidence. Both took a seat across from Victoria and Chloe.

"So…" Dan trailed off, lost in his own thoughts. He cleared his throat roughly.

"I'm so sorry." Victoria spoke up gently from Chloe's left side.

"What happened to our daughter?"

"Andrea was taken captive by a small band of traffickers and kept in a cave a good twenty minute's ride from this village. The group picked off lone women from several different villages in the surrounding area before passing them on to another band who would then repeat the cycle. We found their ledger, there were… far too many names on it." The big man placed his face into his hands. His voice was raw.

"Is she alive?" That was the question she'd been dreading. Chloe had been ready for it though, the hunter didn't hesitate.

"She's dead." Chloe gave them a moment to let the words sink in. The man inhaled a shaky breath, his wife held onto him and rubbed his shoulder rhythmically. "We found the men responsible. There were five of them. They're all dead now but the last told us as much when we got to him. He said that your daughter fought back and they knocked her down to put a stop to it. She fell awkwardly on a rock, her neck broke instantly." The lie left Chloe's tongue smoothly but it left a bitter taste behind in its track. She had to remind herself that this was for the best.

"Her body..?" The innkeeper spoke quietly.

"They buried her somewhere far away in the forest a month past. He couldn't say where exactly." The big man stood up quickly, knocking the chair off its legs and onto the floor.

"I need some time to process this… I…" He walked away hastily and disappeared up the stairs leading to the second floor. His wife swallowed hard.

"He still blames himself. He thinks that if he'd acted sooner or gotten a hold of a hunter faster… He couldn't move on. I've known for a while now that our daughter wouldn't be coming back, I still hoped but I knew deep down." She brushed a stray tear away with her finger. "Thank you both for finding out what happened."

"They won't bother your village or anyone else anymore. I'm just sorry we couldn't do more." Victoria stood up and motioned for Chloe to follow. The innkeeper placed a hand on Victoria's right arm to stop her from leaving.

"Here…" The old woman took a heavy bag from her belt and placed it in her hand. Victoria shook her head and dropped it onto the table carelessly.

"We won't take this. The contract was to get you your daughter back, something we didn't do."

"But…"

"I won't accept it. Farewell…" Victoria turned and left the inn. Chloe followed her out but didn't go to the horses. She took a moment to enter a small shop and restock their provisions before joining her. Both hunters climbed onto their mounts and trotted out of the village. Silence overtook them as they finally passed its edge and pressed the horses for more speed.

* * *

The two hunters travelled with haste all the way back to the city and as a result, the last couple of days had gone by in a flash. After what had turned out to be a pretty horrible contract, it had taken the pair a bit of time to flow back into their normal friendly banter. Chloe felt better now though, she'd been able to sleep soundly since leaving the village which had upped her mood considerably. They walked around the bend leading towards Heindal's Shield, the large red and blue sign acting as a beacon in the darkness.

"I can't wait to put my head on a pillow and knock out…" Victoria's sleepy voice was followed by a loud yawn. Neither hunter had slept for long yesterday. That was largely due to Chloe pulling out some cards from Shadow's saddle which had led to a long gambling session by the campfire's light. A session which had once again left Victoria without coin. Chloe smirked at the memory, she was great at playing cards.

"I just want a hot meal that isn't made of dried meat, dried fruit or stale bread. Sleep can wait a bit." A jaw wrenching yawn escaped her lips just as she finished the sentence. Victoria laughed.

"I'll eat in the morning. All I care about is not having to sleep on the bloody ground, I can't wait to wake up without feeling stiff all over."

"You better enjoy it while it lasts. We won't be in this city much longer if Warren's done crafting everything. I'd like to strike while the forge is hot and every moment wasted is another chance for the Raven to flee." Victoria opened the door to the inn, the common room was filled with folk having a good time. Chloe walked in and made her way towards the group's regular table, carefully avoiding running into a few of the more rowdy patrons. She noticed Warren talking and exchanging a few coins with the innkeeper at the bar. Her eyes skimmed over the crowd until they locked onto the person she was seeking. A huge grin tugged at her lips when they fell on a short brunette's back. Max was engrossed in a conversation with Kate who was absentmindedly stroking Pompidou's head. Madsen was the only one with an angle that let him see the approaching hunters. His eyes flickered up and he smirked but opted not to announce their presence, something she found herself grateful for. Chloe stealthily approached the two oblivious women from behind and moved her lips right behind Max's left ear.

"Miss me?" The witch stood and turned instantaneously, barely avoiding knocking over her cup of chilled wine. Max's crystal blue eyes shone excitedly and she rammed into Chloe with a big smile. The hunter couldn't help but laugh as they exchanged a tight hug, it felt so good to be back with her friend.

"I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow morning." Max's voice was somewhat muffled in the hunter's cloak. Warren arrived with four mugs of ale which he placed around the table. He kept one, passed one to Madsen, and slid two of them in front of empty chairs. He exchanged a warm smile with Chloe and Victoria before sitting next to the Impact. The tinkerer must've seen the two hunters and opted to bring them their drinks. The witch squeezed even tighter and Chloe's attention was brought back to the woman she held. Max broke the embrace and her eyes scanned the hunter's body from head to toe a few times. "You don't look too injured at least, a few scratches but nothing pressing." Victoria snorted loudly next to Chloe, the short haired hunter wore a small smirk on her face.

"I'm happy to see you too Max. Don't worry, I'm not injured either." The witch's face reddened a bit and she cleared her throat.

"Sorry Vic. I'm glad you're alright too." Victoria grinned and sat down next to Kate, the two of them shared a brief hug as she extended greetings to the tinkerer and Impact. Chloe turned back to Max.

"You didn't answer me." The hunter got an amicable punch to the shoulder as a reply.

"Of course I missed you and you had better have missed me too!"

"You're bloody right I did Max. Travelling is so much more boring without my beautiful sidekick at my side." The witch's freckled face reddened some more.

"Sidekick?" She raised an eyebrow. "I thought I was the leader?" Chloe sat down next to max's chair roughly.

"Not anymore Maximus. I'm the leader of this group now, right guys?" She directed the question at the table. Victoria, Warren and Madsen all laughed and Kate gave her a small smile. Chloe grinned. "I'll take that as a unanimous vote of confidence. But don't worry Max, you can still be my faithful companion. I wouldn't have anyone else as my second in command."

"I'm honored Chloe." Max sat down next to the hunter. She spoke with a flourish becoming of a noble lady. "I'll shall never forget this day. Oh… But to be chosen as your second… Be still my beating heart." The witch placed her left hand over her chest and inhaled loudly. The table erupted in laughter once more, Chloe and Kate joining in this time. Time flew by as the small group continued drinking, laughing and talking. The first to retire was Victoria who announced that it was time for her to remember what a real bed felt like. Kate followed Victoria up with Pompidou in tow, both talking as they headed to the stairs leading up to their rooms. Madsen stayed for another drink before standing up and stretching.

"I'm glad you both made it back safely. Have a good night." The Impact walked to the stairs leaving Max, Chloe and Warren at the table. Most of the common room had now gone off to their own homes. Only a few stragglers still stayed, along with a small group that were dicing by the bar.

"He really was worried about you two." Max spoke up once the man was out of sight. "He was trying to hide it but I could see it in his eyes when you both were brought up in conversation. It surprised me a lot to be honest."

"It doesn't surprise me." Warren took another sip of his mug before continuing. "I've talked with Madsen a few times about what Impacts go through to become royal guards. They're torn from their families at a very young age if they show the ability to shift and they're kept away from forming attachment with anyone that isn't royalty. They grow up never knowing their family." Max's face dropped.

"That's horrible."

"It's to keep them from ever straying away from their duties. They're trained from children to adults with strict rules and behaviors that they must follow. Madsen swore that he didn't mind and that all he really needed was his fellow Impacts as friends but I don't know… It seems like a lonely life, he has no family or kids of his own." Warren took another long pull. "He told me what happened to him when he crossed the border. He was completely alone after he was ambushed. He was the last survivor of his party and going back home would lead him straight to execution by the headman's axe. I think this group fills that void in him. You can especially see it in the way he treats Kate. Hell… In the way he acts around you all. You guys are the closest thing to a family he's ever had." Those words hung in the air for a few moments. Chloe could see what Warren meant now that he pointed it out. She hadn't had as many interactions with him as Victoria and Kate but he'd definitely tried to shield her from making a mistake and taking part in the interrogation back in the forest. The mood at the table had taken a pretty drastic turn. Max stood up slowly and yawned in the crook of her arm, Chloe couldn't help but smile at the adorable witch. She found herself really happy that Victoria had pushed for them to ride harder and make it back a half day earlier than expected.

"Vic never did say what happened on that contract of yours."

"I'll share the tale tomorrow Max. It isn't a happy story and I don't think you'd like to hear it before going to bed." Max raised an eyebrow at the statement but didn't object, the witch simply bent down and hugged Chloe hard. "Don't stay up too late." She turned to Warren and smiled. "Thanks for hanging out with us tonight, it was a lot of fun." He grinned broadly.

"Of course… Anytime Max." Chloe scowled at him unconsciously as Max left the table and went upstairs. The tinkerer chuckled lightly when his eyes fell back on the hunter, he shook his head and squinted slightly. "Can I ask you something Chloe?"

"What?" It came out a bit rougher than she intended and she cleared her throat before giving it another go. "Sorry. What is it?" The tinkerer was staring at her with a tinge of amusement in his eyes.

"I consider us friends. You'd say the same, right?" It was an odd question that took the hunter off-guard. Chloe frowned and tried to see where he was going with this to no avail. She replied honestly.

"Of course you're my friend. You think I hang out with people I don't like? We get along great." She took a slow drink from her half full mug. Warren smiled.

"I'll be blunt about this… I like Max." Chloe grimaced in spite of herself, she clenched her fist on the mug's handle.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I can't help but notice that when we hang out without Max, it goes great. We have fun and laugh and drink all night long. But the instant she joins the equation and so much as glances my way or acts friendly with me… You look at me just like you're doing just now." The hunter forced herself to stop glaring at him. "I'm not blind, I can see the way you look at her… The way you act around her. And yeah, she's an amazing woman but it's pretty damn clear to me that she isn't interested in more than friendship from me." He stared at her impassively and Chloe rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea what Max is thinking…"

"Maybe I don't. What the hell do I know about what women are thinking?" The tinkerer chuckled. "I can't speak for her but I  _can_  speak for me. I'm not interested in anything more than friendship from Max." He finished off the last of his ale and slid the mug aside. "I don't want this friction between us to become a thing. Are we good?" Chloe didn't reply right away. She looked at the tinkerer across the table, Warren seemed to genuinely want to resolve this as friends. And he  _was_  a friend. She finished the last of her ale and nodded at him.

"We're good. What we talked about tonight stays between us."

"Of course, you've got my word on it." Warren leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Now. This wasn't all I wanted to talk about with you."

"What else was there?"

"I want to join the group." Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. She'd meant to ask him anyways but thought to do so later when she had more time to come up with a good enough pitch to entice him with. The tinkerer had beat her to the punch. "You told me a while back that you assembled this crew to take down a contract you couldn't handle. Now I've heard all about the Blue Hunter and Slither. Two famous hunters should be more than enough to handle any contract. But then you add an Impact, a witch and a fighter that fights alongside a ferocious beast. That's overkill if you ask me. I don't think the lot of you are going after a simple contract, I think you're going after something bigger…" He waited and Chloe nodded to confirm his suspicion. "If it's dangerous enough to require this crew… Well, you lot could use all the help you can get. My whole life has been about concentrating on becoming a tinkerer and I've yet to do something genuinely good with those skills. Let me help you." Chloe ran a hand through her hair.  _"And I thought I'd be the one trying to convince him to join us…"_

"I can't let you follow us until you find out exactly what were up against. I'm not lying when I say I'd love to have you enlist. Hell… I was going to ask you to come with us before we departed the city. But what we're facing… It's as close to a suicide mission as you can get. The chance of success is minimal at best and we're outmatched by a large margin. Let me explain everything and then, and only then, you can make your decision." Warren nodded, he leaned in on the table and glanced at his mug. Chloe looked behind her to the innkeeper behind the bar, they were now the last three people in the common room. She whistled to get the woman's attention and gestured for two more mugs of ale. If she was going to do this, she'd do it right. "We're going to be here awhile."


	31. Preparations

"Get up!"

"Leave me alone…" Chloe burrowed farther into the warm mattress and under the beddings. The hunter had been up all night talking with the tinkerer, she'd only managed to crawl tiredly into bed for some sleep a few measly hours ago. The dark curtain was suddenly pulled back from the small window and Chloe covered her face with a pillow to hide from the bright light seeping through her eyelids.

"I told you not to stay up too late. It's already past noon." The hunter ignored Max and slowed her breathing manually. She felt just at the edge of falling back into slumber before the covers were ripped off the bed violently. Chloe grumbled something in irritation and curled in on herself to bring back whatever warmth she could manage. She absolutely refused to give Max the satisfaction of winning this bout. "We have a list of things to do today to get prepared our departure towards Fireheart Castle. Vic, Kate and Madsen have already been working on their half since dawn…" Chloe stubbornly refused to answer and she grinned in satisfaction when she heard the witch sigh. The door to their room closed softly and she reached blindly on the floor for the covers. The hunter grabbed onto the bundle and heaved it back on top of herself. It took only a few moments to get comfortable before she fell back into a light sleep.

* * *

The hunter was awakened again after no more than a quarter hour to a very pleasant smell. Her nose twitched and her mouth watered slightly, she could almost believe that it was all part of a dream.  _"Wh… Is that ham… and fresh bread?"_ Chloe still felt incredibly tired. The hunter tried her best to ignore the delicious aroma and fall back asleep but it didn't work. Her stomach was now alert and working hard to remind her that she'd forgotten to eat anything since hours before reaching the city yesterday. A small chuckle reached her ears, no doubt prompted by the rumblings emanating from the hunter's belly.

"Burn you Max! This is so underhanded!"

"Bringing you breakfast in bed is underhanded?" Max laughed.

"You know exactly what you're doing." Chloe admitted defeat and forced her eyes open. The light from the window felt like it was burning its way to her brain. She rubbed at them hard to clear her vision. A big yawn escaped her lips and her eyes locked onto the plate that the brunette carried in her hands. Ham, eggs, fresh bread and dried fruit awaited her.

"You never let me sleep in. I'm just returning the favor for once." Max smiled and handed over the large breakfast. Chloe dove right in, it had been a whole week since her last good meal.

"So what are we doing today?" Chloe spoke between mouthfuls.

"Well…" Max sat down on the bed and stretched out her legs. "The bulk of provisions and preparations is taken care of, that's on our three friends. The two of us only need to gather what Warren crafted, gather medical supplies and find another lucrative hunter contract." Chloe frowned in confusion, she wiped her mouth on a small piece of cloth and placed the plate on the nightstand.

"Another contract? Why?" Max raised an eyebrow inquisitively at the hunter's questions.

"Vic let slip that you both came back from wherever you went empty handed. As far as I remember, we still need another hundred gold coin to pay off Warren before leaving. Don't tell me you were thinking of bailing on him without settling our debt after all he's done for us." Chloe frowned.

"Of course not… But we can gather the coin we owe him later. He'll be coming with us once we leave the city and I doubt he needs the coin urgently."

"He's coming with us?" Chloe finally realized that she hadn't actually managed to tell her friend about what had transpired after she'd left the night prior.

"Yeah, I talked it over with him at length. He wants to help us take down Prescott."

"You told him everything we're facing and he still agreed?" Max's eyes betrayed the incredulity she was currently feeling.

"Yes." The witch smiled excitedly.

"A tinkerer on the team… This is huge. We were only a group of two not long ago. If our numbers keeps growing at the rate they are, we'll actually have a shot at taking the High Lord down!"

"It's an advantage for sure but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves Max." The hunter laid back on the bed and she felt a small pain in her hip.  _"The ring!"_ Chloe dug out the small bundle and stared at it intently. She'd completely forgotten it since placing it there days ago.

"What is that?" Max was now leaning forward and eyeing the cloth with scrutiny.

"Did Vic tell you what happened on our contract?"

"She told me to ask you about the details. I only know that you didn't manage to find the girl you needed to find." Max glanced up, she spoke in a careful tone. "What happened?"

"She was captured by human traffickers about a month before we arrived. We found out that they shipped her off to the next group down the line before I even heard of the contract. Vic and I hunted down the ones responsible and…" She shrugged uncomfortably, the memory of the fight that had almost taken her life creeping once again at the very edge of her mind. Max must've picked up on her shift in mood. The witch placed a hand over her arm. "One of them was deranged. He seemed completely out of it, screaming at his friends about how powerful he was and how he could make the world kneel at his feet. One man challenged him and everything went to shit. He must've had some magic abilities because I saw him summon black lightning from his fingers and he also controlled shadows at will. He killed his own friends." She shivered slightly at the thought of the floating man being boiled alive. "Black smoke was leaking from his eyes and mouth, and he had multiple dark outlines shaking around his person. Every blow Vic and I landed was shrugged off, I shot him in the head and Vic stabbed him in the throat and he still didn't go down. Bloody hell… I cut off his arm at the shoulder and he stood up like he didn't even notice! We only stopped him when I cut off his hand."

"His hand? He lost a whole arm but his hand was the breaking point?"

"I think that it's because contact with this… was severed." Chloe unwrapped the cloth and opened the coin purse. She let the golden ring with the socketed onyx gem fall onto the bed covers. "It sounded like he'd been just a normal fellow until he got a hold of it. I think that this ring screwed with his mind and gave him those abilities somehow." Max reached for it and the hunter slapped her hand away a bit more roughly than required.

"Don't bloody touch it! Did you hear anything I just said?" Max shrugged, lost in thought.

"Fair point…" The ring suddenly moved of its own accord and flew a couple feet above the bed. It hovered and rotated slowly between the two women. Chloe's eyes widened in shock before she realized that the witch had simply used magic to inspect the object more closely. Max leaned in, she looked pleased with herself.

"I've never heard of an object being able to give others magical abilities. Something enchanted with the power to do one specific task? Sure. But giving its bearer the gift..? That's something entirely new to me."

"So you don't know what it is?" Max bit her lip softly in thought.

"No… I've never heard of something like this but you need to keep in mind that I've only been studying as a witch for a very short time. My best and only guess is that the ring is cursed."

"Cursed?"

"Mmmhm. The majority of cursed items tend to give something sought after, the trick is that they also take something dear away. There are always outliers of course but in this case, it sounds like the ring gave him some strong magical abilities at the cost of his sanity."

"Seems like a terrible trade."

"I doubt he knew what he was doing Chloe. The man probably just stumbled across the ring and thought to keep it. There's no way to know that an item is cursed unless someone with magic abilities is actively looking out for them." Chloe looked at the innocent object floating in the space separating her from the witch.  _"To think that something as small as this, can be so destructive…"_ Max grabbed onto the coin purse and opened it below the ring. It fell in softly and she closed it before wrapping it in cloth once more. Chloe reached for the bundle but Max pulled away. "I'd like to keep it on me if you don't mind. At least until we can identify it properly."

"How do you propose we do that?" Max gingerly placed the ring in her pocket.

"I've been meaning to meet up with an acquaintance of mine. You remember the man I spoke of a while back? The one who was a genius at acquiring weapons?" Chloe nodded. "He also deals in artifacts and items like that blade between your shoulders. He buys anything enchanted or related to magic that crosses his path. If anyone knows what this is… it's him. It won't even require us to go far out of our way to meet him. He lives in a secluded village further up north and it's on the way to Fireheart Castle."

"Maybe we should just get rid of it Max. I don't know if I feel comfortable carrying along something that might be cursed."

"Then it's a good thing that I'll be the one carrying it isn't it?" Max smiled but Chloe wasn't feeling any better about the item. "I'm not saying we should use it. Just that we should carry it until we reach him. I have no idea what this thing really is and I might be completely wrong in my assumptions. I don't want to get rid of an item that could be of some use against Prescott. If this ring turns out to be cursed, I give you my word that we'll bury it and leave it behind."

"Sounds good. Just make sure you keep it wrapped up tightly." Max got up from the bed and stretched.

"No worries there. I don't feel like losing my mind anytime soon. Now get up! We've only got so much daylight left and we still need to get some medical supplies and talk to Warren. If he's going to coming with us then he needs to get his things in order."

* * *

"When?"

"Tomorrow if Vic, Kate and Madsen managed to gather all we need. I don't want to wait any longer. We've already spent far too long in this city, every moment spent here gives the Raven Knight time to recover. We need him as weak as possible when we face him." Chloe stood next to Warren outside his yellow nomadic wagon. The hunter had sent Max away to go find an extra horse they could purchase for the tinkerer. That old wagon had been dragged to this city by a very old horse, nearly doubling the length of time spent travelling for the young man. Chloe couldn't afford that. The group would already be slowed by the addition of the wagon, the least they could do was make sure that a strong healthy horse would be at its helm to speed it along.

"Seems a bit rushed but don't worry about it. Everything I need is in this wagon." The tinkerer brushed a hand through his choppy brown hair. Chloe had to admit that there was benefit to lugging around the man's home on wheels. The group now had more than enough space to fit their equipment and provisions without having to rely on their pack saddles. They'd be able to bring along larger quantities of food and water as well.

"Good. We'll all be meeting up at the north gate early in the morning. That's assuming that Max manages to snag a good horse for you. Are you sure this thing won't break down on the way? We'll be going through rough terrain and it doesn't look very… sturdy." The tinkerer chuckled wryly at her choice of words.

"It's old but it's lasted me this long without falling apart. Anyways, I can fix it pretty easily if something breaks. It's a workshop filled with tools and materials after all…" The hunter's eyes wandered behind him and settled on the door to his home.

"So the equipment you've made for us?" Warren turned and opened the wagon. The tinkerer gestured for her to enter. It was just as the hunter remembered it to be, clusters of small odd objects were littered everywhere and diagrams written hastily on paper were scattered on the floor and shelves. Warren followed behind her and moved next to a large wooden chest bolted to the floor. He slipped a hand past the goggles hanging from his neck and down his shirt to return with a small brass key on a chain.

"There is one more thing that you'll have to do for us."

"Which is?"

"That sign hanging on your wagon. It needs to go." Chloe was talking about the sign of the guild of tinkerers. "I know it a symbol of pride for you but it's far too recognizable. We want to be under the radar and tinkerers tend to attract the eyes of nobles all too often."

"I understand. I'll take it off before I meet with you all tomorrow." The tinkerer grunted in victory when the small key finally managed to turn in the rusty lock. He heaved it open and reached inside to pull out clothing. The chest was filled with it. "What do you think of it?" Warren threw dark gray pants and a dark blue shirt at the hunter. Chloe caught it before it touched the ground and examined it more closely. It looked like hardened leather armor but felt smoother to the touch. She bent it and scratched at the fabric, she figured that it'd be pretty easy to move around in this. Whatever material it was, it wasn't as constrictive as the hardened leather it looked like. "Yours is different than Vic, Kate and Max's armor. They'll get more protection since I made it thicker. You told me you needed something with which you could move quickly and stealthily. So I made you a thinner metal mesh lining with a smoothed leather cover. You'll need to be more careful than they will but since you tend to pick fights from a distance, I wouldn't worry about it much." Chloe smirked.

"I haven't had much luck with that lately. Seems I find myself in the thick of it all too often nowadays. Thank you." She smiled at the tinkerer and handed the pieces of clothing back so he could put them away once more. They had all agreed that this armor should only be used before gearing up for a serious fight. It wouldn't do to have it damaged accidentally in a skirmish since it would be almost impossible to properly repair without access to a master blacksmith. "I notice you didn't mention Madsen." Warren looked back at the hunter with an incredulous expression donning his face.

"You're kidding, right? That man doesn't need armor. He is the bloody armor." Chloe let out a small laugh. The man reached into the chest once more and took out a metal oval the size of a fist. It had small thin lines crossing over each other in various directions over its surface. A very small hatch at the bottom broke the smooth surface and covered what looked like a tiny red button. Warren threw it at her and Chloe initially recoiled from the object before springing forward with wide eyes and scrambling to grab it before it hit the floor. She cursed loudly once she managed to get a hold of it. The tinkerer burst out laughing.

"What the hell man?! Have you lost your mind? Didn't you tell me these things would explode with shrapnel and slice up anyone within twenty bloody yards?" Chloe was fuming but the man still wore a large smile. Warren wiped at his eyes, still chuckling.

"Up to thirty yards actually. You should see your face." Chloe's features darkened to reflect just how amused she felt and the tinkerer lifted his hands in resignation. "Alright, note to self… Don't throw explosive devices at hunters in jest." Chloe turned the object carefully in her hand, she spent a few extra seconds on the hatch at its base. "That's where the trigger is. You lift the hatch, press the button and throw it at the enemy. I lowered the fuse to seven seconds. Ten seemed like too much and five not enough. They  _should_  be perfectly safe to hit with a hammer but I wouldn't test it. Maybe Madsen could if you're really worried about it triggering independently." The hunter watched him scoop up the next few bundles and her smile grew exponentially. She could feel her heart beat a bit faster, excitement was now gnawing at her core. Warren looked back and smiled broadly, the tinkerer could see exactly how much she wanted the next few items. "You ready?"

"Bloody right I am! Let's see it!"

"Here it is…" The tinkerer unwrapped an item from the cloth that was hiding it from view. He handed it over to the hunter who looked at it with a large grin. Chloe held in her hands a small version of a crossbow, a bit less than a foot long and less than one third what her regular weapon weighed. She moved it around at the end of her extended arm, visualizing imaginary enemies and pressing the smooth trigger. It took all her will power not to abandon Max to the preparations and walk away to go test it out at the training yard. Warren opened the next few smaller bundles to reveal three sets of bolts. The first batch looked like smaller versions of the broad head bolts she used, even down to the ragged blue lightning trailing on its side. The second was front heavy with a red ball about an inch in diameter at its head. The third was much the same but with a half inch green ball replacing the head. "Like I promised." He passed over a small diagram and she glanced at it before placing it in her bag of bolts on her back.

"Give that to any weapon maker and he'll be able to replicate the broad head bolts. The other two need to be crafted by myself but that shouldn't be much of an issue now that I've joined the group." Warren handed over a large hardened leather bag. It was a bit bigger yet slimmer in size then the one on her back. The bag was outfitted with multiple pockets. "I thought you might find use in this. It's a better way of holding and separating your bolts now that you have different types of them." Chloe took one of the broad head bolts and loaded her weapon, she could feel the tension ready to be let loose at her fingertips. She opened the door of the wagon and looked for a target she could shoot at. A pigeon happened to be lazily flying by, only a few paces overhead. Chloe extended her arm and followed it with the weapon in her hand. It felt odd to only use one hand to shoot. Warren stepped out of the wagon as she calculated the bird's trajectory and fired. A sharp  _SNAP_  sounded. The bolt flew true and rammed into the bird's stomach, effectively stopping its flight in a spray of feathers. Chloe walked over to the dead animal and pulled the bolt free. This would change the way she could fight drastically.

"Thank you!" Chloe launched herself at the man. She hugged the tinkerer tightly, lifting him off his feet while laughing. "You're the best, I'm so bloody happy that I didn't kill you the first time we met." The man laughed along with her.

"The feeling's mutual."

"What's going on?" Max's voice reached her ears, it seemed that the witch had finally finished her task. Chloe kept on holding the tinkerer despite his increasing protest. She finally let him down to turn and look behind her when the witch uttered the question a second time.

"I love this tinkerer! Look at this thing Max! I'll be practically unstoppable. I can't wait to use it in a fight!" Chloe showed off her new weapon, completely oblivious to the fact that Max was too busy glaring at Warren to notice. The man looked between the two of them and shook his head in exasperation before going back into the wagon and coming out with the bolts, bag and a new item.

"Here you go. I made you another belt similar to the one you wear. It's reinforced and carries an additional feature." He pointed a section with multiple small leather bands. "You'll be able to carry up to five bolts on it. It'll lead to quicker access to bolts in battle, no more reaching over your shoulder." The blue-scarred hunter grabbed it, her eyes scanning every inch.

"Chloe, I found the medical supplies we needed for the trip. I brought them back to the inn before coming back here and the horse is in the seller's stables just waiting for Warren to pick him up in the morning. We're all done for today." The hunter mumbled something that sounded like an acknowledgement but kept her full attention on the belt. She was far too invested in the process of swapping them out right then and there. Chloe directed a question at the tinkerer without looking up.

"Warren, how many bolts did you end up making me?"

"Twenty broad head, and ten each of the others." Chloe finally tightened the belt before looking up at him with a smile.

"That's ten more than you said you'd make."

"I found the time to make more while you were away on hunter business." She placed her daggers on the belt on both sides and started to exchange the contents of her bag of bolts with the newer one. She took extra care with the placement of the ones the tinkerer had just crafted.

"Warren, you bloody amazing man! You're never leaving this group if I have a choice in it! Max, look at this thing… There's even an extra spot for my blinder and my poisoned bolt heads." She gestured excitedly at a smaller fifth pocket, sticking out far to the right of the new leather bag.

"Great." Max's dry tone made Chloe look up for a second. The witch was staring down Warren who was sitting on his wagon's steps with a slightly frustrated expression.

"Not this again…" His words were so soft that Chloe almost missed them.

"What's wrong?" The man stood up and forced out a smile.

"I'm just tired. I'm think I'll be going to sleep earlier than usual. See you both in the morning. Good night." Chloe opened her mouth to reply but the tinkerer had already turned on his heels and closed the door to his wagon. She frowned at the door in confusion.

"You think he's alright? That was rather abrupt."

"I'm sure he's fine" the witch answered dismissively. Chloe stood up and patted herself down, she felt invigorated after seeing all the new things the tinkerer had made her. The hunter threw her old belt and bag carelessly on the ground next to the wagon. Max closed the distance between them and gave her a hug. Chloe's eyes widened slightly in surprise but she reciprocated the embrace happily.

"What's this for?"

"I just wanted to say thanks for everything you've done for me since we joined up. I wouldn't have been anywhere near half as successful on my own. I couldn't ask for a better friend." Chloe smiled down at her.

"Don't sell yourself short, we're a team. You helped me as much as I helped you. I suppose Vic can also take a chunk of the credit but let's not tell her that… Her ego's already big enough as it is." Max let out a small laugh. They separated and started to walk back slowly towards the inn.

"You ready to start this adventure?"

"You better bloody believe it."


	32. Umbra

"What's taking him so bloody long" Chloe glanced forward towards Victoria. The tall blonde's patience was at the end of its fuse and it was showing. The group made up of Chloe, Max, Madsen, Kate, Pompidou and Victoria was currently all geared up and standing next to five horses near a corner that allowed a good view of the northern gate. Kate yawned slightly and began tightening her short sword's sheathes at her sides. Her scruffy dog sat at attention next to her left leg, glaring at all passersby. Madsen for his part, simply sat down on the ground in a piece of shade with his eyes closed. Max and Chloe were on a bench talking in a low tone about funny stories from their childhood while Victoria paced in front of them incessantly. "We've been waiting two bloody hours! At this rate we won't be heading out until noon." Chloe raised an eyebrow at Max, both chuckled slightly.

"He needs to pick up the horse Max bought him and it can't be easy to maneuver his wagon on these tiny paths. Give a bit more time and if he still doesn't show… we'll send Madsen after him." The Impact's eyes opened slightly and he glanced at the hunter.

"I don't remember volunteering for this." Chloe smiled at him.

"You were asleep during the vote, it was unanimous if I recall." The man snorted in amusement and closed his eyes once more.

"Vic, can you please stop pacing so much? You're making me dizzy." Max cracked her neck and laid her head comfortably on Chloe's left shoulder. Victoria raised her metal fist and her right hand to the sky in a gesture of bitter resignation.

"Fine. But I seem to remember that it was you two that wanted to get up at this ungodly hour. I could've been sleeping right now instead of wasting my time waiting." Victoria stopped pacing and went to sit next to Madsen. Kate bent down and joined her with Pompidou wrapping itself protectively around her side.

"So… Before we got interrupted... What ended up happening after William caught you?" Chloe laughed at memory the witch's question triggered.

"He paid the merchant and forced me to work off in chores the amount that the practice swords were worth. It took me the whole bloody summer until he let me off the hook. I certainly thought twice about stealing things after that. I don't think he was mad, just disappointed. No matter what crazy things I pulled as a rebellious teen, my father never  _really_  got mad."

"What about your mom?"

"She had less tolerance for my antics but she was always really patient with me. I got into all sorts of trouble back then so I wasn't really making it easy on them. I finally stopped screwing around when my father started teaching me to use a crossbow. It gave me something I could concentrate my energy on." She shrugged slightly and Max lifted her head to get a better look at the road. The hunter still couldn't see any signs of the tinkerer's wagon. "What about you? Were you as much of a pain in the ass to your folks as a teen?" Max exhaled in amusement and bumped her shoulder into the hunter's side affectionately.

"No. I was always too scared to break any rules growing up. My parents weren't strict, per se, but they definitely would come up with harsh consequences if I broke the law. They were looking out for me though and for that I'm grateful. I loved them both so much." Max seemed to shrink in on herself. The past tense in the word  _love_  didn't fly by unnoticed by the hunter. Chloe placed her arm around the woman and squeezed lightly. She still found it hard to suppress the anger that boiled at the surface when Max mentioned her parent's betrayal. She knew no matter what, that her own family would've been supportive if she'd been in that same situation.  _"Bloody horrible parents…"_

"About bloody time…" Victoria's remark made her look up to the road. Warren was guiding a large brown horse that was pulling along his old yellow wagon. Chloe saw that she'd been right in her assumption, the tinkerer was forced to pause a good half dozen times to avoid running an oblivious person over. He finally rode up to the group and smiled broadly.

"So sorry about the wait. I forgot how hard it is to guide this thing around the streets of Frauy."

"Don't worry about it." Max stood up and made her way behind the tinkerer's wagon. "Can you unlock it?" Warren patted himself down and took a brass key from his pocket before throwing it gently at the witch. Max caught it and fumbled with the lock.

"Madsen." The Impact rose from where he'd been resting and looked in Chloe's direction. "Grab the provisions will you?" He nodded. His pale skin gave way to dark green scales and he began to lift large bags that he'd lugged here from the inn. It was heavy, Chloe knew that from trying to lift one herself, but the Impact seemed not to notice. The man carried items back and forth between the pile and the wagon without breaking a sweat in only a few trips.

"Finally!" Victoria swung herself onto her warhorse with a wicked grin. "No more sitting around. It's time to wage war on that madman and his generals." Chloe grinned back at her fellow hunter as she climbed up onto Shadow's saddle.

"I can't wait to get a piece of the Raven. He won't know what hit him." Madsen locked the door to the wagon before throwing the key back at the tinkerer. The last three members of the group all got on horseback. Chloe had to admit that they looked like the oddest assortment of people she'd ever imagine. Her eyes scanned her friends one by one and she couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.  _"An Impact, a witch, a hunter with a metal fist, a fighter with a war hound, a tinkerer and a hunter with a blue scar across her face. I never thought, in a million years, that I'd end up part of a band like this. And yet… I'm so bloody glad I did."_

"What are you laughing at Blue?" Victoria kneed her horse forward towards the gate.

"Just thinking of how odd of a group we make." The group reached the gate quickly and it opened without much hassle. City guards showed more care towards those who entered and not much to those who left. They rode a good forty yards outside of Frauy before Chloe noticed that Max had fallen far behind. She turned Shadow around and left the others to continue onwards. The hunter approached the witch who sat with a stunned expression on the back of her horse. Chloe began to feel a sense of dread creeping up her spine.

"Max. What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." The witch locked eyes with her before furrowing her brow in confusion.

"You remember what I told you when we first entered the city, roughly a good two month's past?" Chloe frowned.  _"When we entered the city?"_ It finally hit the hunter like a pile of bricks dropped from a tree.

"You said you felt something. An… energy of some sort when the gates opened. I forgot all about it when you didn't bring it back up." Max shrugged uncomfortably.

"It used to bother me a lot the first few days in the city but I suppose I forgot all about it as well. Like when you've been exposed to a smell long enough that you don't realize it's there anymore. I guess I got used to it and didn't realize it was still there."

"What made you bring this back up?" Chloe asked but she glanced back at the city. She already suspected the answer.

"When we left. It was like the veil was lifted from my body. I felt the energy stay behind the further we went." Chloe ground her lip in worry.

"But nothing weird happened while we were in the city Max. Right? So this could be absolutely nothing."

"Maybe…" Max didn't look convinced. "I don't know…" The witch looked back at the gate in thought. "I guess it doesn't matter right now anyways, I just can't help but wonder what caused it."

"Let's not worry about it unless we encounter it again, alright? We have enough on our plate without inspecting this city in every nook and cranny to find its source." Max nodded, the witch heeled her horse into motion. Chloe followed after her a bit more slowly. She had a sinking feeling that they'd run into… whatever this thing was… again.

* * *

The last six days passed by very quickly as far as Chloe was concerned. They still needed to keep going another three days towards their destination but they had made great time despite having a wagon slowing them down. The hunter and the witch had needed to split off from the rest of the group yesterday when it became apparent that the further they went, the further away from Max's contact they'd would be. With promises to meet back up in the village that bordered Fireheart Castle, the duo had departed further east. Chloe figured that the two of them would probably arrive at roughly the same time as Vic's team even though they were taking a small detour. Warren's wagon would slow them down and it was easier to ride hard with only herself and the witch. As it stood now, the two women were now approaching the small village Max had been heading towards.

"Wow, you really weren't kidding about it being a secluded village." The sun shone brightly onto the few small houses surrounded by large trees in every direction. There was only about seven small wooden houses making up the village and the hunter doubted that they even had an inn or tavern. Chloe could feel her scar shining fiercely as they broke through the forest and breached the village's invisible border. It attracted odd looks from the two men that were sitting around a fire and smoking from pipes. She felt at her right side for her small crossbow and dagger unconsciously. It was never a bad idea to be prepared for the worst.

"That why he chose to live here. Most city guards would crack down hard on any in possession of magical artifacts. But this far out in the middle of nowhere…" Max didn't seem to mind all the staring, the witch rode at ease on her mount.

"How the hell is he making any coin? You can't tell me that he gets much business here?"

"Not much but he doesn't need a lot of business. The cost of living this far out isn't much and he views life with a minimalistic approach. His prices are very high, so the odd sale here and there is enough. Quality over quantity, right?"

"I suppose." Chloe dismounted once Max stopped her horse near a small wooden house. "How did you hear of him?"

"Leanna. She told me that most folks in the magic community know about him. His whereabouts and trade are spread by word of mouth."

"So you've never met him?"

"Only once. My coven stopped here on the way to Arcadia. I didn't really interact with him, the older witches were too busy commanding his attention. I doubt he remembers me." Max walked up to the door and opened it gingerly. Chloe was quicker and the hunter briskly moved herself ahead in front of the witch. There was likely nothing to worry about, but there was no way she'd let Max walk straight into a possible ambush. At least the hunter could be healed if things went awry. Chloe looked around and was surprised that the inside was bigger than the outside let on. Much bigger actually. She frowned.  _"What the bloody hell?"_ The dimensions made no sense. The ceiling was at least a pace higher than it should be and the walls looked to be four paces longer in each direction. There was section to the left with a counter and shelving that she guessed was the shop. A padlocked door to her right looked to be the bedroom. A small sitting area with two tables and eight chairs were spread around the open space. Max looked at her face and smiled, the witch shook her head in barely suppressed amusement.

"What is this?"

"I asked the same when I first met him." The witch gestured around with her left hand. "It's all part of a powerful enchantment rooted into the foundation of the house. All the houses in this village actually. It was part of a bargain with a powerful enchantress for a magical artifact he possessed."

"Quite right, my dear." Chloe head's whipped to the old man behind the counter. He looked thin and frail, like a breeze would knock him right off his feet. His white hair and mustache did him no favors in terms of age, Chloe guessed he was in his mid-sixties but he looked much older. "We've met once before, haven't we? You were with that large coven, the one with six others."

"Yes." The man smiled and extended his hand for greeting.

"I rarely come across some many witches together so it stuck out in my mind. And you… A hunter?" Chloe shook the man's hand with a firm grip. She cursed under her breath at the way her blue scar shone so close to the oil lamp. The man was staring straight at it. "You're marked." It was an odd statement and she looked back to exchange a confused glance with Max.

"I'm what?"

"Marked." He pointed a gnarled finger to her face, right at her scar. "I've only seen it once before in my sixty odd years but I'd recognize it anywhere. Sit… Please. I haven't had the opportunity to talk to others in a long while." The man gestured at the table and chairs. Max looked at her and shrugged, both women sat side by side while the man walked around the counter and took a seat directly across from them.

"You mind explaining what you're talking about?" Chloe felt somewhat irritated but intrigued. It was an odd combination of feelings.

"Marking is what happens when a witch delivers a killing blow with magic to someone without the gift." Chloe raised her eyebrow and looked at Max.  _"This old man has lost his mind."_

"Gotta say that I feel pretty alive at the moment." She chuckled and the man joined her.

"I suppose it does sound somewhat crazy. Let me explain. Witches can be very violent creatures when they wish to be and they sometimes cause these markings when the right circumstances align. It happens when a blow delivered with magic kills the foe. On incredibly rare occasions, the energy from the attack runs rampant in the wound and shocks the body back to life. It all transpires within milliseconds. Markings can be identified by the unnatural glow they emit, they can be anywhere on the body and any color. The glow is caused by the energy still encompassed inside the wound. It's also why the wound can no longer…"

"Be healed." Max finished the man's sentence with a tinge of awe in her voice. Chloe's eyes were now wide open, she didn't know how to process this information.  _"Is he saying..? I… Died?"_  The man nodded, smiling.

"It causes a magical bond between aggressor and victim. The only other man I encountered with a marking told me that if he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could point directly at where his witch was. No matter how far apart they were, they could track each other around the world. Simply fascinating isn't it?" Chloe nodded weakly.  _"I should be dead."_

"Do you mind telling me how you got the marking? Stories from travelers are all I really have to distract me in this village."

"I…" Chloe swallowed hard. "A witch attacked me with lightning bolts when I was still starting out as a hunter. Most missed but the last struck a glancing blow to my head. I thought I'd just been lucky…"

"You  _were_  lucky, my dear. Very lucky. In fact, you should've died that day." The hunter felt Max's hand grasp hers under the table. She offered what little comfort she could with the gesture.

"It didn't use to glow this brightly." Chloe started to talk very quickly, her mind scrambling with questions for the man who seemed to know so much. "I ran into a creature that wielded blue electric arcs and lightning and he attacked me. Why is it glowing like this now? Is it going to stay this way forever? Is there any way of making the marking go away?" The man's eyes grew exponentially as he tried to follow the hunter's ramblings. He cleared his throat before picking off the questions one by one.

"The marking acts like a well. Energy pools into it and stays there even long after the death of its bearer. I suppose it's not out of the question that a marking caused by lightning could be charged by a similar type of energy, causing it to glow more brightly in turn." The man looked thoughtful. "There are no ways to get rid of markings that I know of. It happens so infrequently that I dare say that there are probably less than a handful like you in the world. That's why it's almost impossible to gather information on markings. Some witches have tried to intentionally cause them, cruel and inhumane business that is. But as far as I've heard, none have succeeded."

"Is it passive? Will it cause her problems in the future, since she technically… died?" Max's left leg was shaking up and down quickly. The witch looked very concerned.

"I don't believe so. It's simply magical energy being held by her body. Nothing should come of it other than attracting the eyes of all around her." Max exhaled softly and Chloe ran a hand through her shoulder length hair. Of all things the hunter had expected to learn on this trip, information about her scar hadn't even been on the spectrum.

"Now, I expect you ladies most certainly haven't come to me to talk about markings, given how you've both reacted to what I've said. So what has brought the pair of you to me? Are you in search of magical wares?"

"Yes."

"No."

Chloe and Max exchanged a glance with each other, much to the amusement of the old man. "Both" Chloe responded finally.

"We need information about a magical item we've come across and we think you might be the only one who can help us." Max reached into her pocket.

"I sincerely doubt that I'm the only one who could help... But show it to me and I'll see what I can do." The witch unwrapped the small bundle and let the ring fall out of the coin purse and onto the wooden table. The old man inhaled softly and he frowned at the golden ring. He made to reach for it and Chloe slapped his hand away with a stony look.

"The last man to touch it went mad, killed three people and brought me seconds away from death. Why does everyone insist on touching it?" Max stiffened next to her, the small brunette look disturbed.

"You never mentioned that you almost died in the fight. What did he do to you?"

"I'll explain later." She brushed off the witch's question smoothly, it'd be a story for another time. "Can you tell us what it is?" The man smiled.

"Yes, it so happens that I can. It's called an  _umbra ring_." He reached for it once more and this time glared at Chloe when she raised her hand. "It's also perfectly safe to touch." He grabbed onto it from the sides with his frail fingers. "It's only dangerous when placed around a finger."

"An umbra ring?" Max leaned in unconsciously as the man examined the ring more closely, he took extra care with the socketed onyx gem.

"They used to be quite common once long ago. What I know of it is mostly taken from passages in old tomes about magical artifacts. They were forged by the hundreds at the command of an ambitious prince looking to extend his power. His wife, an enchantress gifted in the dark arts, bound the rings with a powerful curse that granted its bearer magic abilities. So the tale goes that the prince, greedy for more land to conquer, gave the rings to his finest and most loyal soldiers. Armed with the power given from the ring, the prince used his men to wreak havoc on his foes."

"What I saw wasn't normal magic. It was dark, corrupted and vile."

"Because a man driven mad would sooner be drawn to the evil side of magic. A madman wearing the ring could still use the pure forms of magic if he chose. That man could heal and mend others, protect and grow crops for cities. But he won't, because the ring will corrupt him." He paused for a moment, scratching at his chin. "In the end, they slaughtered tens of thousands of men and destroyed countless cities before their reign of terror came to an abrupt end."

"What stopped them? The one man I fought was invulnerable to all our attacks. I can't even imagine fighting against more than one of those men." Chloe shivered at the thought, one had almost been too much to handle for two skilled hunters fighting together. She doubted that the pair of them would've lasted even seconds against two.

"The umbra rings give immortality to an extent. Wounds that would bleed do not, blows that would kill do not. They protect its bearer until they can no longer steal from the soul. When nothing is left, the men snap. So in essence, the rings stopped them." The man placed the golden ring gently back onto the table, in between the three of them. "The only way to give the gift of magical abilities was to curse the rings since no regular enchantment could provide the same. But curses are a double edged sword and the ones that give are also the ones that take the most away. The umbra rings are the worst types of parasites. They feed on the soul of the bearer, chipping away at it slowly until there's nothing left. The greatest of men with the purest of motives would be rendered a mere shell of himself after only a couple months. It creates a slow descent into madness by burrowing its way through the brain. It rots the mind from the inside and causes the worst in people to come to the surface. Paranoia, hallucinations, violent outbursts, sadistic tendencies, hatred the like you've never felt before…" The man went on and on. "Fear, anguish, loneliness, betrayal, despair, lust, greed… What makes us good is eaten away, absorbed into the ring." Chloe felt her throat dry up.

"You said two months but the man I fought was already completely mad and it sounded like he'd been exposed to it for less than three weeks."

"Some types of people are more predisposed to its effects. A man who lacks empathy towards others, who is more inclined to turn to violence… That man would turn quickly. Witches…" His gaze fell on Max. "Hunters." He locked eyes with Chloe. "Mercenaries, soldiers, thieves, torturers, executioners…" His voice grew in intensity. "Those kinds of people don't last long under the ring's influence. The worst is that the bearer spirals into darkness all the while still thinking of himself as perfectly healthy. Because what madman can truly tell that he is mad? To him, the rest of the world is the one who's lost its mind."

"Why not just take the ring off then?" Max's shaky voice rose from beside the hunter.

"The umbra ring attaches itself immediately to the soul. To take it off, even just after a single second of contact, would be to separate the bearer from his soul. It would kill the person instantly."

"The man I fought, when I removed his hand… He crumpled to ash."

"Exactly." He picked up the ring once more and placed it gently back into the small coin purse. "The prince didn't foresee what he truly unleashed onto the world that day he gave the rings to his men. One after the other, the most loyal of his soldiers lost their minds. They turned on each other and used the full extent of the magic given to them, to destroy. It was said that all could feel the earth shake. Eventually there was only one soldier left, corrupted to the core and lashing out at everything he could. He was finally killed by a coven of witches who took it upon themselves to collect all the rings they could find and hide them away. The prince and his wife were found dead, no doubt at the hands of the monsters they'd created. Of the hundreds of rings, few have survived. Most are lost to the earth, swallowed up by the passage of time. I've come across only two others during my life and each time I've given the same advice to the ones carrying it." He looked over the two women across the table. "Get rid of it, I don't care how… Bury it, throw it into the ocean… But do not, under any circumstances, use it. The power it gives is nothing compared what it takes as payment." The man laid back in his chair. A few silent moments passed before he smiled broadly. "I'm sorry, ladies. Sometimes I get so caught up in telling stories that I forget myself. Here we were having a pleasant discussion and I derailed it onto dark, ominous stories of the past."

"Don't worry about it." The words that left Chloe's tongue felt very dry of emotion. The hunter looked at Max who was just as still as she was. She breathed in and tried to evoke some positive feelings. The discussion had taken a very dark turn and it had clearly affected the both of them strongly.

"So about my wares?" Max's eyes flickered to the bar and she stood up slowly. Chloe left the witch to talk and barter with the old man. She was still stunned from the overload of information she'd received. Time flew by the hunter until she saw Max approaching her with a couple of large, old books in her hands. Burying her feelings as deep as she could manage, Chloe stood up with a smile she hoped look genuine. The duo left the man's house and stepped outside. The hunter looked up at the sun, she estimated they'd been inside for easily a few hours. Max turned to her and placed something in her hand. Chloe frowned and looked at the bundle in her palm.

"We had a deal. I'll go attach my books to my saddle, do you mind burying this cursed thing where nobody will find it?" Chloe nodded and watched as the witch turned and walked away.

She started to go in a random direction inside the forest, keeping a mental map on how to get back to the village. Once five minutes had passed, she looked around and began to dig a small but deep hole with a thick branch she found. Once satisfied, Chloe took the ring out of the coin purse and looked at it. She dropped it gently into the hole but didn't fill it up. A few moments passed before the hunter gritted her teeth and bent down to pick it back up. She placed it back inside the coin purse and shoved it into her pocket. Chloe started back towards the village with a hasty step.  _"I won't use it but it's pointless to throw away something this powerful. You never know when something like this could be useful."_  She couldn't tell anyone, especially Max, about this. But she wouldn't use it, so what harm could it do?


	33. Stratagem

Chloe and Max finally approached the small village that bordered Fireheart Castle. It had taken two full days of travelling. They might've made it quicker but the hunter had insisted that they take their time. Chloe figured that it would do none of them any good to show up for a fight, sore from hours of hard riding. Max had reluctantly agreed and so the pair had slowly but surely made their way to their destination.

"Steer clear of the village, Max. I told Vic to go into the forest and set up camp a bit further away to the east." The witch's head turned to regard her with an odd expression.

"What? Why not get a good night's sleep inside an inn?" Chloe moved Shadow with her knees, directing the large mount to turn left before she was noticed by the village's inhabitants. Max turned after her.

"It wouldn't be wise to go in there. I find it hard to believe that the lord of Fireheart Castle and the Raven don't have a sentry keeping track of any who cross through the nearby villages. They are far too intelligent to assume that they're completely safe anywhere they reside." She brushed away a flowery tree branch and sneezed loudly when the pollen dust scattered around her. It took a few long moment to compose herself while Max steered clear of the branch, laughing. "…Anyways. Even if I'm wrong and two of the High Lord's most important men decided for some reason not to be careful. You have to assume that the general's soldiers and the Raven's executioners are probably all inside of it." Max frowned at her so Chloe explained her thoughts once more. "Think about it Max. If you were a soldier and you were paid a nice sum of coin for your service but couldn't spend it on anything since you're stuck in this secluded castle… What would you do on your odd day off?" The hunter saw it finally click in the witch's mind.

"I didn't think of that. I guess they're probably all over the inside of the taverns and inns, getting drunk and chasing women." She nodded.

"Exactly my thought process. Better to stay away from any village too close to the castle." They rode silently until an ugly yellow color could be seen hiding behind a mass of trees. Max pointed to it and moved her hands, forming odd gestures. Chloe was about to ask what she was doing until the trees and greenery bent at impossible angles away from the two riders, forming a path to the encampment. Her eyes practically bulged out of her head.

"That is so bloody awesome! Why haven't you ever done that before?" Max smiled, sweat was already beading on her forehead as the two riders navigated their horses around the tree stumps. The vegetation seemed to be trapped in time, their leaves completely unaffected by the wind that rose from the west. Chloe suddenly wondered what would happen if Max lost concentration. She urged Shadow forwards quickly. Death by trees being slingshot back into place seemed like a very lame thing to have engraved into a tombstone.

"I've been reading those two books I purchased back at the other village. They're filled with a wide assortment of spells and rituals. The only problem is that the books are mostly written in the old magic tongue so it takes me far longer than usual to properly translate them. I found this one spell yesterday but didn't get the chance to try it out properly." Max grunted, wiping away at her brow. "Gotta say… It's a lot harder to maintain than I thought it would be. I can feel the vegetation trying to force themselves back into their natural places." They finally rode into the very small encampment. Warren, Kate and Madsen all turned to look at them, shock painted on all their faces. The hunter smiled broadly and waved a hand as if their entrance was the most natural thing in the world. The greenery snapped back into place slowly and when Chloe looked behind herself, it looked as if nothing odd had ever happened.

"If this is any indication, I can't wait to see what else is hiding in those books." Max just blinked in response and almost fell out of her saddle when she shakily swung her leg off the horse's side. Thankfully, Chloe was close by. The hunter scooped her up in her arms before she hit the ground and started to walk towards where the rest of the group sat on logs. She looked down in amusement. "Maybe don't try any more of those spells until we're done here though. You look like you just finished running five miles." Max steadied her breathing, a small embarrassed smile creeping onto her face.

"Duly noted."

"How was the trip?" Victoria's voice made Chloe look to her left. The other hunter was rummaging around the back of Warren's nomadic wagon.

"Informative to say the least. We got a couple old books for Max, discovered that the ring is cursed and I found out that I actually died a while back. What about you guys?" A solid thump and a muffled curse came from the inside of the wagon. Chloe bent down carefully, and dropped Max off onto a short unoccupied log. The witch smiled back gratefully and motioned for her to sit down on the ground next to her.

"What?" Madsen asked in a gruff voice.

"Did you just say you died?" Victoria finally got out of the wagon, carrying a small bundle of food under her arm. Chloe sat down on the grass between Max's legs, her back leaning on the short log the witch sat on.

"It's a long story… Actually... That's a lie. It's pretty damn short." Kate's eyes shone in amusement as Chloe batted away one of Max's hands. The witch was unconsciously playing around with strands of the hunter's hair. "Turns out this bloody scar right here…" She gestured to her face. "Is called a marking. The witch that attacked me actually managed to kill me with that lightning bolt. The magic energy ran through my body and revived me on the spot before I even hit the ground." Warren's mouth open slightly.

"That's insane!" Chloe smiled back at him.

"I know. I have trouble even wrapping my mind around the concept." Chloe batted away Max's hand again without looking. She heard a muffled chuckle behind her.

"And the ring? You said it was cursed?" Victoria started to give out equal portions of food around the circle. A fire hadn't been started, Chloe figured it was probably in order to avoid notice from the village and castle. She couldn't see either from their position but a plume of smoke in the forest would definitely be noticed and reported.

"Yeah, there's a whole sordid story behind it that I'm not gonna get into right now. The short of it is that its bad news." She felt the witch start playing around with her hair once more. Chloe sighed softly and resigned herself to her fate. Kate burst out laughing with Max. Madsen and Warren looked between the two women confused while Victoria rolled her eyes with a small grin. The hunter tried ignoring the laughing pair but even as she spoke, a small smile tugged at her lips. "Max's contact told us it corrupts the mind and gives the wearer magic abilities. Bad combination if you ask me."

"So what did you two do with it?" Chloe didn't miss a beat.

"Buried it in the forest. It's gone now." Her left hand unconsciously pressed itself next to her pocket, feeling the solid lump that was hidden inside.

"We thought it'd be better to just get rid of it." Max's soft voice was still tinged with amusement. Chloe leaned her head back and closed her eyes. The hunter had to admit that it felt nice to have a hand running through her hair.

"So what's the plan for our assault on the castle? Have you thought about it at all Blue?" Chloe shifted slightly, she didn't open her eyes to look at Victoria.

"Not really to be honest. I figure that we can go and scout it out tonight and tomorrow night. Get a handle on the amount of foes and the guard rotations… The best place to breach… All that fun stuff y'know?" Victoria laughed.

"Breaching?" Madsen spoke up. "If you think of using me to break through the walls, I would advise against it. The last time Vic and I did that, we alerted the whole bloody place of our intentions. It's too loud and you said that the Raven had a way of disappearing in thin air. If he's weak like those executioners said, he won't stick around for a fight. Any sign of us and he's gone." Max's hands stopped moving, prompting an annoyed grumble from the hunter. The witch laid them gently around Chloe's neck.

"Well, we certainly can't just go through the front door and scaling the sides is out of the question. Warren, could you make us a device that could break through a wall without making too much noise?" Max's question was met by a loud exhale. Chloe opened her eyes to see the tinkerer scratching his chin.

"In two days? Maybe… I can't guarantee anything though. I'm sure I could come up with something if I work hard at it. The good news is that I managed to replenish most of my stocks before I left Frauy so materials aren't an issue. The trick will be to craft something without access to a forge…" The tinkerer seemed to lose himself in thought.

"How are we supposed to find the Raven anyways?" Kate's voice was suddenly lined with hatred, her hazel eyes burned with intensity at the mention of his name. "If we don't take him by surprise and with speed, he'll flee. The castle is far too big and the executioners didn't mention anything about where he stays. You won't see him while scouting either, they said he doesn't come out often since his injury." Victoria face widened in a wicked grin. The short haired hunter looked very satisfied. She was probably thinking about how effective her poisoned daggers had been.

"That'll rely heavily on luck…" Chloe tilted her head to rest it on the witch's left leg. "But I do have an idea about that. When I go out scouting with Vic, we'll bring Max along with us." Max's eyebrow rose in surprise.

"I thought you'd want me far away from the scouting."

"Usually I would. But that bracelet of yours could be exactly what we need to get eyes on the Raven. That's where the luck factor comes in. I'm hoping that the Raven Knight is still pissed at one of us three. We can each try on the bracelet in periodic fashion and see if he starts to think about one of us. If he does, then we'll know which wing of the castle he's in." Madsen whistled appreciatively.

"A good plan. Once we know where he is, we can fight our way as stealthily as possible towards him." Chloe nodded at the Impact.

"Exactly."

"We should split up in groups of two in the castle, at least until we meet back up when we reach the Raven…" Max's voice trailed off when Kate and Chloe interrupted her.

"What?"

"That's ridiculous." The witch's left leg started to shake up and down. Chloe head-butted it softly and Max stopped to let the hunter rest her head again.

"Think about it. The castle corridors won't be wide enough to have five fighters and a bloody dog in it. That's not even counting the enemies we'll encounter… If we split up, it'll be easier to engage in fights without running into one another. I don't know about you Kate but I don't fancy being shot by one of Chloe's bolts by accident." The blue-scarred hunter looked up in indignation.

"I would never! I don't miss." Max locked eyes with her apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I know that. But you can't ignore that I'd be better not to have to worry about each other and the more of us in a small corridor, the more likely it is that an accident will happen."

"She's right." Warren spoke up from where he sat. The tinkerer looked at Victoria and pointed at her metal fist. "Think abound it Chloe. How's Vic supposed to use that fist in a tight space with the rest of you in her way? We already saw what happened when she shot you with it by accident. Imagine if all of you took a stray shot and went down at once, you'd be ripe for the picking." Chloe felt Max stiffen. Victoria glared at him.

" _You_  made me shoot her."

"You both shot me with it." Chloe put an abrupt stop to the argument that was about to spring up. It wasn't the first time that the tinkerer and hunter had gotten into this argument and she suspected that it would far from the last.

"It doesn't matter." Kate was biting down on her lip, her voice was thoughtful. "Warren and Max are right. Madsen won't be able to fight properly with us in his way, one missed attack would more than likely severally injure one of us if it struck and Pompidou won't be of much use if he's constricted. I vote we split up into two groups as well." Chloe grimaced.

"Max comes with me." The hunter wasn't about to have her friend away from her in enemy territory. Just the thought of it made her stomach drop. She needed to protect her.

"Blue…" Victoria's spoke very carefully. "I don't think that's the best idea." Chloe glared at her fellow hunter and Victoria winced.

"Why the bloody hell not?"

"Because certain pairings need to be abided. First off, both of us need to be split up. You can't have the two hunters on the same team. We'll each lead our own group since we have the most experience. Then, Max and Madsen can't be together." The witch and Impact glanced at each other. "Magic and Impacts being incompatible and all… Just one of Max's spell could take down our strongest close range fighter if an accident occurs. Then comes Kate…" The blonde looked at Victoria intently. "She needs to be around Madsen because he can offer her the protection none of us can."

"I don't need to be protected. I can handle myself with Pompidou." The dog picked up on his owner's mood and stood up. He growled towards the short haired hunter, his eyes on the verge of turning red. Kate simply placed a hand over his head to calm him and lay him down once more.

"You haven't been tested in a real battle yet Kate so we'll edge on the side of caution." The woman opened her mouth to reply but Victoria's stern voice cut her off. "This isn't up for discussion. What I say goes. Either you go with Madsen or you stay here with Warren." Once satisfied that Kate wasn't going to speak up again, she went on. "So that means that there's only two ways to spin this. Chloe, Kate, Madsen then Max and I  _ **or**_  Madsen, Kate, Myself then Max and Chloe. No offense Chloe, but at close range, you lack a strong punch." Victoria raised her metal fist and shrugged uncomfortably. "Madsen and I are the strongest in close quarters… we shouldn't be on the same team." Chloe scowled. It made sense logically but an irrational part of her absolutely despised the idea of being split up from Max. She  _could_  keep Max safe on her own. Max's right hand squeezed the hunter's shoulder tightly.

"Vic's right Chloe. Don't worry about me, I'll be safe." Chloe glared angrily at her fellow hunter.

"She better not get injured on your watch." The statement was flat but Victoria got the message.

"So we've got our two teams decided. What about what we do inside the castle?" Madsen posed the question while glancing at both hunters. Chloe spoke up.

"We go our separate ways and try to meet back up where the Raven lies. One thing we need to make clear, if no alarm is raised and we successfully reach him unnoticed, either team  _must_  wait for the other before engaging the Raven Knight. If the alarm's is up, then improvise. But we must take him on with all our strength if it's possible to do so." Max, Vic and Madsen all nodded in acquiescence.

"It'll be hard to keep track of him for our team. He could move and only Max and Vic would know where he's gone because of her bracelet." Kate stroked her dog's head, Pompidou had his eyes closed with his face resting on the dirt.

"That's true" Chloe answered the blonde. "If he moves…" She looked up at Max. "You meet up with us anyways. Even if it looks like he's fleeing. While it may seem that way… Our first priority  _isn't_  to kill the Raven and Prescott's general. It's to make it out alive. All of us. We'll be surrounded by enemies, good ones too. Executioners by the dozens and hundreds of trained soldiers all over the perimeter. If the mission is compromised, we meet up and escape. We can always try again another day but not if we're dead." Chloe looked over every member of the group from Victoria to Max. It was important to get this point across. Max got up from the log she'd been sitting on, startling the hunter.

"Let's get to bed and catch a few hours of sleep then. If we're going out scouting tonight, we're going to need to be well rested." She helped Chloe get up. The small brunette carefully brushed off the debris on her friend's cloak. "Let's set up camp before it gets too late to do so."


	34. Fireheart Castle

This was the second time that Chloe looked over the large stone castle in front of her and it still managed to take her breath away. She'd heard of Fireheart Castle of course, everyone had. It was owned by one of this country's most influential lords. Lord Senam wasn't considered powerful because of his military but rather because of the caring and virtuous persona he'd worked so hard to establish. Chloe figured it certainly helped him advance himself politically since most common folk liked him. His military wasn't comparable to the likes of the other High Lord's generals. Lord Senam had roughly two hundred soldiers, about a quarter were easily seen marching around the perimeter and on the walls as sentries. The building he called his home, was stunning. Fireheart Castle was easily forty feet tall to accommodate its three stories and four large spiral towers were erected at the corners. There was only one way in and it was by a large gate next to a giant encampment. The encampment was protected with metal fencing that ran around its edge, forcing any who wished to enter the castle to walk through the soldier camped below. Hundreds of tents made up the inside. Lord Senam clearly didn't like having his men sleep inside the castle. That could prove useful.

The hunter looked away and found frustration rising up once again. She'd really liked her plan to find the Raven using Max's bracelet but it had turned out to be next to useless. It wasn't because the man wasn't thinking of any of them but rather because of the range of the bracelet. The three women who hid behind trees in the forest were roughly ninety yards away with no hopes of getting closer without being spotted by one of the many sentries. That meant they could only use it to see inside the castle by ten yards, it simply wasn't enough. The forest ended abruptly and turned to plains five feet from Chloe herself. Max's hand touched her shoulder and the hunter lowered her crossbow, she'd been using the silver spyglass mounted on it to get a closer look at the large castle.

"Did you figure out any way to reach it yet?"

"No… It's too bloody fortified. Too many sentries on each wall and they aren't relaxed or lazy. We won't be able to sneak past them to get to the walls." Victoria shuffled closer to them.

"What about executioners Blue? We didn't see any yesterday but they have to be around here somewhere." Chloe shook her head.

"Still no sight of any of the Raven's men. They must be inside the castle itself. That'll make things harder for us." The hunter dragged a hand over her face sighing. She felt a small headache on the horizon, no doubt caused by the frustration she felt at the moment. Victoria motioned at her crossbow and Chloe reluctantly handed it over. It wasn't loaded but the hunter didn't like having others touching it, it was one of the two possessions she cherished deeply. Victoria looked down the spyglass, the crossbow's weight made her fellow hunter struggle with keeping it still in one hand. She placed her metal fist under its body to steady it. A few minutes passed before Victoria handed it back with a scowl.

"Anything?" Chloe asked but she already knew the answer. If she hadn't found anything herself, then Victoria would most likely wouldn't as well.

"Even the soldier's rotation is bloody perfect… I don't know what to do Blue." Chloe knew what she was talking about. The newest guard would come up to the wall in position next to his fellow then after five minutes of two sets of eyes looking for intruders, the old guard would leave and go back to the encampment. No room for mistakes, no room for five people to sneak their way to the walls. It was all so  _frustrating_. Max wrapped her wrist around an inky black cloth and she looked to the walls. After a moment, she unwrapped it and handed the bracelet to Chloe.

"Nothing for me. Your turn." It had been this way for the last two days. Eight hours of scouting with a break for the bracelet every hour. They would each use it at intervals for a ten minute span before going back to scouting. Chloe grumbled under her breath but took the bracelet anyways and fastened it to her own wrist. Max wrapped it carefully and then reached for another smaller piece of cloth. This one was only for Chloe. The witch got very close to her face and started to wrap it around her head, diagonally across her scar. It would stop the blue glow that always popped up when Max infused the hunter's body with magic. Max tied it up snugly and smiled. Chloe couldn't help but notice how beautiful the witch looked in the moonlight that broke through the canopy above. They were separated by only a couple inches, neither moving away. A throat clearing made the witch break eye contact. Max backed up a pace and glanced to the floor. The hunter could feel her cheeks heat up in the darkness and she glared back at Victoria who was barely suppressing a grin.  _"Bloody annoying woman…"_

"Ready?" Chloe nodded and the witch reached forward to touch her arm. The sensation of lightning flowing in her veins seeped into her. She felt her scar glow bright under the black cloth. Chloe turned, looking over the castle. She spotted the red outline of two men far from each other, both were sentries. She shook her head and the feeling went away. Chloe took the cloth off her head and wrist before handing the bracelet to Victoria a bit more roughly then required. Victoria's face lit up with amusement at the action. The short haired hunter got ready and nodded to Max. Chloe couldn't see anything happening but a moment later, a sharp intake of breath escaped Victoria's lips. Chloe immediately dropped to her knees next to her.

"What do you see?" Victoria pointed to the leftmost tower in the front of the massive castle. "He's barely in range but I see him." Her arm wacked Chloe's side insistently. The hunter reached over and gave her the crossbow on her back. Victoria looked through the spyglass once more. "It looks like he's talking to someone. Lots of hand gestures at least."

"I didn't see him a moment ago" Max whispered.

"Neither did I." Victoria's smile grew.

"He's got more reason to hate me than either of you. I'm not surprised that I'm the only one to see him." Victoria handed back the crossbow. Max stepped away and Victoria unwrapped her hand. "At least we finally have confirmation that he's actually here."

"It doesn't help much other than confirming his existence… We still don't know where he resides in the castle."

"That's why we need to get closer and quickly. He's clearly thinking about me right now so maybe we'll get lucky and he'll still be doing it in an hour. This is the closest we've gotten so far in two days of scouting. We need to press this. Now." Victoria sprinted away in the forest before Max or Chloe could object. They raced after her. Five minutes later when they reached the camp, Kate and Madsen were both already gearing up. Victoria was in the tinkerer's wagon, exchanging words quickly with Warren.  _"She runs bloody fast…"_

"Vic…" Max was already out of breath from the run. She was having trouble stringing her words together. Chloe smirked at her and received an amicable punch in the hip from the witch. "Don't… even… say it." The witch took a moment to compose herself before approaching Victoria.  _"Max really does need to work on that endurance of hers."_ Warren turned and looked at the witch as she got closer.

"Max, I've got the way into the castle finished." The tinkerer held up a large flat metal disc in his hand. "Come on, I'll show you how to use it inside." The witch glanced at Chloe and nodded towards Victoria.

"I'll talk to her. Go." Max followed the man inside the wagon as Warren started to gesture at the object and speak quickly. Victoria was sharpening her dagger on a whetstone.

"Vic… What the hell?" The hunter glanced at her momentarily before looking back down.

"Look… I'm sorry Blue. I didn't mean to interrupt your moment but I really didn't feel like standing there watc…" Chloe's eyes widened and she hastily interrupted her.

"That is  _not_  what I'm talking about." Victoria smiled broadly and put away the whetstone in a leather bag on the ground.

"I know. It's just funny seeing you get flustered." Chloe scowled and formed her hands into fist. The other hunter finally sighed and her face got serious. "I know what you're about to say. We don't have a safe way of getting to the walls, we don't know where the Raven is, it's possible he won't be showing up on the bracelet by the time we reach the castle…"

"Then why are you rushing like a madman into this? Every single thing you just stated is a reason not to try and assault the bloody castle." Victoria moved in closer, she lowered her voice a tad.

"It's been two days of scouting Chloe. You know as well as I do that we aren't getting any more information out of this even if we had an entire other week to work with. It's risky, I get that. But if we can somehow make our way to the wall, we have a really good chance of Picking up the Raven on Max's bracelet. Time is of the essence. If we wait until tomorrow, he might not be thinking of me and we'll be in the exact same spot except worse off. So instead of fighting me on this, help me think of a way to get past the sentries." Chloe sighed and Victoria smiled.

"Alright. But if we don't find the Raven, we leave quietly and try again another night." Victoria nodded. Chloe looked over the camp. Max and Warren were still talking and looking at the object he held. Madsen was stretching on a log while Kate attached her two short swords on her belt. She was dressed in the tinkerer's new mesh clothing. She had no cloak, Kate refused to wear one because she thought it was a disadvantage in a fight, but wore a hardened leather chest piece and pants that were stained in different shades of dark gray. The real surprising part was that the woman also had a large black cross centered in the middle of her chest. Chloe spoke what came to her mind. "She looks like a bloody crusader." Victoria laughed.

"My idea but Kate liked it. I had Warren personalize all our clothing." Chloe frowned.

"All our clothing?"

"You'll like yours. Promise." They both headed to the wagon and took turns changing inside. Chloe stepped out of the wagon in her new battle attire. She wore a dark gray hooded cloak in similar style to her old one. She had dark gray pants and a dark blue chest piece made of smoothed leather. It felt hardened to the touch but it was light and she could move easily in it. She was ready for battle. Her crossbow was slung on her back next to her bag of bolts, her daggers in their sheathes at her side, the enchanted blade sticking out from between her shoulder blades and the smaller crossbow attached to her right side with a line of smaller bolts looped directly to her belt. She looked and felt like a deadly hunter. Kate got closer to inspect the addition that Victoria had commissioned the tinkerer to do. On Chloe's chest was a dark blue lightning bolt, the details were so vivid that they almost brought the image to life.

"That looks amazing."

"Damn right it does." Victoria walked over, the other hunter looked like a shadow. She wore a black hooded cloak with black hardened leather trousers and a black chest piece. The only thing of different color on the hunter was two small red shapes separated evenly on her shoulders. They looked like eye slits with closer inspection.

"You look terrifying Vic. You trying to scare the Raven into submission?"

"It's an option."

The door to the wagon creaked open and Max stepped out. In contrast to the rest of them, the witch wore a dark green hooded cloak. Her smoothed leather chest piece was a dark red and her pants a dark green that matched her cloak. A more complicated image was painted with black paint onto the middle of the leather chest piece, it was that of a raven in flight startled by a bolt of lightning.  _"Her coven's sigil…"_ She felt the familiar guilt bubble to the surface, it always accompanied thoughts of the former witch's coven. The hunter looked away towards the tinkerer and the Impact. Neither paid any attention to the women, they were lost in a whispered but frenzied discussion. It ended when Warren finally shoved something into Madsen's hand with a few more words.

"What are you two up to?" Warren glanced over as Madsen shoved the object into a pocket of his trousers.

"Nothing important right now. I'll explain later if the need comes up. You should go, it's been about an hour." Chloe frowned but didn't bother digging for more information, she trusted the tinkerer. Whatever he'd been up to could be uncovered later.

"Let's head out." The group ran out into the forest behind Victoria at a full sprint with Pompidou at Kate's heels. Chloe let herself slow down and fall behind in order to keep an eye on their slowest member.

* * *

Max and Chloe arrived at the border of the forest a couple minutes behind the rest of the group. Victoria was already looking at the castle intently, trying to figure out a way to get closer to the wall of the castle. Chloe left the witch behind and took up a position next to her fellow hunter. She took out her crossbow and looked through the spyglass. As a force of habit, the hunter reached behind and felt for the tip of one of her bolts. She pulled the shaft out with two fingers and loaded it, all the while still staring down the spyglass at the sentries lining the wall. There were three just like before, each separated by a good ten yards looking in the same direction.

"Max?" Chloe didn't look behind as she called out for the witch. Some shuffling noises reached her ears before she felt the witch kneel next to her, shoulder to shoulder.

"What?"

"You remember what you did the night Vic lost her fingers?" She heard grumbling to her left, obviously Victoria remembered very well what had happened that night.

"Yes, what about it?"

"That illusion you did… The one that made us invisible to the executioners. Could you envelop us with it and keep it up until we reached the wall?" She heard the witch breathe out in frustration.

"I'm sorry Chloe but I doubt I could. It's over ninety yards away and there's six of us if you include Kate's dog. I was already struggling with a dome big enough to fit three and we were stationary. Even if I somehow managed to do it, I'd be out of commission by the time we reached the wall. The last time took a lot out of me and I'm pretty sure this would drain me even more. You'd lose your healer and if anything went wrong…" She left it unsaid. Chloe bit her lip and moved on. It had been a good idea.

"Is there any way that we could cause a distraction then?" Kate asked.

"Max?" Chloe passed the question over.

"I could try but anything too blunt would cause an alarm and anything too small wouldn't be enough to justify breaking away from their post. I'm also not great at illusions, I won't be able to reach that far with one of them. It would have to be within fifty yards."

"That's out of the question then." Chloe looked away from her crossbow and unloaded it. She twirled the bolt in her fingers, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What is it?" Max looked down at the object in her hands.

"How good are you with enchanting?"

"I know a decent amount of basic enchantments…" The witch trailed off, unsure where Chloe was going with this.

"Can you enchant something like a bolt? To make it invisible or come back to us after it's fired? Like the Raven's belt did to him when he fled Beorf after we attacked him."

"Maybe, I'm not sure. It's pretty small at least. The more skilled you are with enchanting, the bigger the object you can enchant with a recalling spell. It still doesn't help us though. Killing the guards would just lead to alarming the castle."

"Not necessarily." Chloe reached into her bolt bag and took out a smaller reinforced leather pouch. It contained three broad head bolts with a blue streak on their sides. She very carefully pulled one out, every movement calculated and slow. The rest of the group looked at her oddly. Chloe placed the bolt gently on top of her crossbow and repacked the rest before slinging the bag on her back once more.

"What so special about this bolt?"

"I got them as payment for a contract I took befo…" Chloe trailed off, her eyes dropping to the sigil on Max's chest. The witch placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I told you before, I don't blame you. What happened is in the past." Chloe nodded and forced the feelings away.

"The tips of the bolts are slathered with a combination of the deadliest poisons available on the continent. The man who gave them to me said that they would render someone that was nicked into a near catatonic state. They would die shortly after."

"But Max's point still stands, an alarm would be raised" Madsen stated.

"Not if Max can make it disappear. If I can aim well enough to barely cut but not kill the recipient, then Max recalls it… The guard would have a barely noticeable wound and he'll fall to the ground. It'll look like he just collapsed or that his heart gave out and further inspection will reveal nothing. Just enough of a distraction for us to sprint to the wall."

"That's very risky, you're assuming a lot here Blue. What if they become more alert or only one goes and the other glances out over the wall to see us running to the castle. They'll hunt us down and kill us. We can't face dozens of executioners and two hundred soldiers." Victoria made sense but Chloe couldn't think of anything else. She said as much.

"It's the only thing resembling a plan that I've got left Vic. Unless you have something better to share, it's this or we go back to the camp for the night."

"No. We are so bloody close. I won't turn back now. I say we go with Chloe's plan." The two hunters turned simultaneously towards Kate. The blonde had spoken with furious intensity in her voice. Her scarred face was contorted with rage. "I  _won't_  let him get away. We know he's here, right now. We should strike." Chloe turned back to the group, discomforted. She didn't like the woman's tone. It felt like the closer they got to their enemies, the more erratic she became. She pushed her doubts aside for now, Victoria  _had_  said that Kate was ready.

"We vote but we only go if it's unanimous. I won't have one of us follow the plan if they don't feel comfortable to do so." Chloe looked around at each of them. "We know where Kate stands, I'm also in with the plan."

"I'm in."

"Same." Victoria and Madsen both spoke up at once. All eyes turned to Max. The witch looked at Chloe, locking eyes with her.

"You believe this will work?"

"Absolutely." That seemed to alleviate the brunette's worries. Max grew a determined look on her face.

"Then we do this." Max grabbed the bolt by the shaft carefully.

"We need the whole bolt to be recalled Max…" The witch nodded, she looked like was concentrating very hard. A few gestures and the bolt started to glow orange. It was getting brighter exponentially to the point where Victoria had to throw her black cloak over both the witch and the bolt to cover the light. Another few moments and Max shrugged off the cloak. Sweat beaded on her forehead but she didn't seem weakened. "Are you alright?" Max smiled.

"Yes. Enchanting isn't like other types of magic. It relies less on energy and more on skill. The better you are with it, the stronger or more complicated your enchantments can be. It didn't take much out of me but I also didn't make the range of the recalling enchantment very powerful. I'm not skilled enough for that. It'll only work within roughly two hundred yards of myself. I don't think I could've enchanted anything bigger, I was pretty much at my limit." Chloe reached for the bolt and loaded her crossbow. She went prone to the ground and took her time aiming at every sentry one by one. She decided on the one to the far right. He was further away from the encampment and he was near some stairs. If luck would have it, maybe he'd fall down them. That would make the rest of the sentries follow him away from the wall. He was also sturdy on his feet, not moving or swaying like his fellow sentries.

"Max, I need you to cover the sound of my crossbow. Can you do it?"

"Yes."

"Alright, wait till I say its time." Chloe closed her eyes, she could feel the slight wind brushing her cheek from the west, her mind taking in her surroundings, calculating the perfect shot. This would have to be prefect, no margin for error was allowed. Any wrong move would descend chaos over their heads. She heard Victoria and Kate moving behind her, the ambient noise helping focus her on the task at hand. She opened her eyes and inched her crossbow to the left, aiming above and to the left of the sentry furthest to the right. She lowered it slightly, it wasn't time to kill. This bolt needed to cut and fly free away from the man. If she hit him accidentally, it would ruin everything. She aimed for his arm, part of it was exposed nearer the elbow where his sleeveless chest piece ended. She breathed in steadily, letting each inhale and exhale slow her heartbeat. She held her breath. "Now." The ambient noise around her faded. The forest and her friends standing only inches away growing completely still as if she'd gone deaf. She exhaled softly, even that produced no noise. Half her breath escaped her lips and she pulled the trigger. She felt the recoil of the crossbow being absorbed into her shoulder. Her sense of hearing was shocked as the spell lifted from around her. Chloe tracked the bolt in the air, a sense of dread rising from her stomach.  _"Please…"_

 


	35. Inside The Castle

The hunter used the spyglass and watched the bolt fly through the air for what felt like an eternity. She felt as if the bolt moved through thick syrup, slowly inching its way towards the sentry keeping watch on the wall. Then the bolt hit its intended target. It whizzed by the man with impressive speed, cutting open a small slit near his elbow and disappearing out of the hunter's view somewhere further in the castle. The sentry reached for his arm violently, a small amount of blood trickled down between his fingers as he opened his mouth to yell out to his fellow sentries. Chloe began to feel a powerful sense of fear and she began to wonder if Lord Frederick had actually been telling the truth when he'd handed her those bolts. The man had betrayed her after all, stabbing her and leaving the hunter for dead in a dirty alley. But the sentry doubled over before a single word escaped his lips. She could imagine him groaning, he looked to the forest where the bolt had come from with a wide eyed expression of disbelief. She wondered if he knew what was happening to him. If he knew that his fate has been sealed the moment that bolt had touched him, sending various lethal venoms flowing through his blood stream. It didn't take long to take effect. He felt for his head and stumbled backwards, off-balance. His careening stance sent him tripping down the flight of stairs directly behind him. He fell out of sight of the hunter and Chloe finally let out the breath she found she'd been holding all this time. The whole sordid affair had taken less than six seconds from start to finish but it had felt like an eternity.

"Recall the bolt. Now." She closed her eyes and lowered her forehead on top of her crossbow. She calmed herself down, manually resetting her breathing to a lower pace. This had been an incredibly difficult shot to make, she doubted there was another man or woman who could've done what she just did in the whole continent. Chloe smiled to herself and looked down the spyglass once more. She could see a faint orange glow emanating from behind, Max was recalling the one and only evidence of the crime. Now it was time to see the fallout of her actions. The hunter saw the shocked faces of the two closest sentries. A few more men rushed from the circular towers and peeked down the stairs shouting. Their attention was on the fallen man but it wasn't enough, not yet. Another long moment and they all moved, abandoning their posts to see to their fallen comrade. The wall was devoid of people. It was time to strike. Chloe stood up and turned to her friends. Max was holding onto the bolt, a look of pride donning her face for what she'd managed to accomplish. There was no time to waste. "Drop the bolt, I'll come back for it later if there's time. They left their posts, we need to go. Now."

The group stood up and followed Chloe as she breached the forest and ran into the exposed plains. They were ninety yards from safety. Madsen overtook her to the left. The Impact had shifted to his dark green scaled persona and his enhanced legs carried him further and faster than the hunter could manage with all her speed. Pompidou was next, the large war hound with crimson tinged fur and glowing red irises sprinted by with Kate on his muscled back. He was the size of a small bear and he leaped over large spans of distance effortlessly, not hindered in the least by the small blonde woman who was grabbing on two large tufts of his fur to keep her position steady on his back. Chloe almost stumbled and tripped to the ground at the surprising sight. Large paw prints were left behind in the war hound's mad dash to the wall. Victoria and Chloe reached the wall at the same time, moments after the Madsen and Kate. They both turned simultaneously to look at Max. The small brunette was running as hard as she could towards the rest of the group. She reached the wall, short of breath.

"What the hell…" Max looked at Kate, she spoke softly to avoid bringing attention of any who could be above. "Since when is that a thing?"

"I'll second that question. I almost fell face first into the dirt when you rode by." Kate shrugged with a small smile.

"It's a lot harder than it looks. I had to practice dozens of times and I fell on my behind more times than I can count." Chloe looked at the war hound and he growled at her until Kate prompted him to silence.  _"One of these days, somehow… I gotta find out how the bloody hell Frank got a hold of you…"_

Madsen lifted his arm and quieted them. He'd shifted back to normal and he was now looking up at the wall's edge. Chloe followed his gaze and spotted a man leaning on it, looking to the forest they'd just come from.  _"I guess the sentries are done dealing with the man I shot."_ Max quietly took out a large flat metal disk from inside a leather bag on her back. The witch discarded the bag to the side and placed the device flat against the wall. There were ridges stemming from a small circle in the middle of the disk and extending to its edges. It split the disk into four equal, separate sections. Max gestured for Victoria to step forward. Chloe could barely make the tall woman out in the dark. Her new clothing made her almost indistinguishable next to the dark gray wall. The witch gestured at the hunter's cloak and Victoria nodded. She removed it and held it over the device.

Max pressed her palm under the cloak and over the disk. Her fingers started to glow and faint blue and small lightning arcs sprouted and connected with the metal disk behind the cloak. It made a small amount of noise but nothing that would bring attention onto them. It started to glow and the disk extended itself, stretching apart from the small circle in the middle. Once it covered as large an area as it could, roughly four feet in each direction, the disk started to vibrate consistently yet still silent. The bricks underneath it trembled and small puffs of dirt escaped where they met each other. A moment passed and Max removed the object. Chloe frowned in confusion. The wall looked almost exactly the same as it had prior to attaching the device, the only difference was that the wall had sank a bit. She could see an inch or two into the castle at the top of where the object had lain, certainly not enough for anything to pass through expect a mouse. Max placed it in the bag and slung it on her back once more. She smiled broadly at the group's confused looks and bent down. Her hand touched the wall and went straight through it. The area of the brick wall that had been covered by the object fell apart into tiny pebbles. It poured over Max's hand and down on the inside and outside of the castle like rough sand from a beach. In front of them stood a hole approximately four feet in diameter leading straight into one of the castle's many corridors. Victoria shook her head as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing, Chloe agreed with the sentiment.  _"Bloody tinkerers… I should get a couple dozen on retainer."_

Max carefully stepped forward and into the corridor, it wasn't well lit. One oil lamp was tasked with lighting the whole area but it hung far away to the left. It was failing poorly in that endeavor. Chloe followed after the witch, she strained her ears to make sure there was no patrol nearby. The only downside to the tinkerer's gadget was that if any guard walked by the hole in the castle, an alarm would surely be raised. The rest of the group followed and Max turned to Victoria with her bracelet. The hunter attached it to her wrist and used her cloak to cover the light. Victoria looked around through walls with a thoughtful expression on her face. Chloe almost laughed. The woman looked daft, like she'd taken a hard hit on the head and was left short of brains. Victoria squinted and pointed up and to the right, she gestured for the rest of the group to get closer.

"He's in the furthest tower on the right side." The words were spoken quietly but Chloe still felt as if it was too loud. "He's standing and talking with someone. Odd that he's still thinking about me… I don't like the implication of that." Victoria grew quiet.

"Let's split up now. We each take a corridor and make our way to the tower. Whoever gets there first, waits for the second group. No rushing ahead like fools. If an alarm is raised then the squad leaders decide on the most appropriate course of actions." Max spoke while looking to Victoria and Chloe intently. They'd been chosen as the leaders of the two groups since they were the most experienced in tactics and infiltrating the enemy. Max, Kate and Madsen had agreed to follow their every commands no matter what happened. That was important. The two hunters nodded. Chloe walked up to Victoria and placed her hand on the other hunter's left shoulder.

"Viend ash enfead." Victoria mimicked the gesture and repeated the saying. They broke away and Chloe opened her arms towards Max. The witch walked into her embrace. Chloe closed her eyes and whispered under her breath. "Stay safe and pick your battles well. I don't want you getting injured again." Max chuckled.

"Your track record is worse than mine." Chloe squeezed a bit tighter.

"I'm serious Max. And… If an alarm is raised and Victoria says you need to leave the castle without us. I want you to follow her." She felt Max stiffen slightly, the witch didn't reply. Max broke apart and smiled at her.

"Stay safe." She looked at Madsen and Kate who were standing behind awkwardly. "All of you." Then Victoria took off towards the left of the corridor with Max in tow. Chloe watched the brunette round the corner and she turned the other way. She inhaled hard and thought back to the old hunter's saying she'd exchanged with Victoria. _"Tonight we hunt."_

"Let's go." She carefully ran the many paces needed to arrive the bend in the corridor, slowing and creeping up just before she reached it. Chloe looked back to see Kate and Madsen crouched behind her, Pompidou was next to the blonde's left leg. She gestured for them to stay quiet as she unslung her smaller crossbow at her hip. She loaded it with a broad head bolt from her bag, opting not to use the ones on her belt until necessary. Chloe carefully took out a small reflective piece of glass from her pocket. She'd taken it just for this mission. The hunter placed it at the base of corner and inched it out. She could see down the corridor ahead, it was deserted. She turned the corner and got a better look. She could keep going to straight or take a right turn halfway down the corridor. She decide to turn right and she added the turn to her mental map of the castle. This time when she bent down with the piece of glass, she found her enemies. Not even four paces away from the turn, were two executioners standing at attention each on one side of a closed door. Further down at the end of the corridor there was one executioner and two soldiers talking by the stairs leading to the second floor.  _"Decision time… Leave this corridor alone and sneak across to go straight or fight my way to the right."_ A reasonable person would most likely abandon the corridor infested with executioners but she did need to turn right at some point and what's to say the other ways would be easier.  _"Anyways… I want to see what those executioners are guarding."_

She motioned for the Impact to step closer and she used a few hand signals to let him know what she was seeing. They'd all agreed last night to take the time to make some, you never knew when they could come in handy. Madsen nodded and Chloe went back to watching the corridor with the glass. She counted four minutes in her head before the men at the end of the passage decided to leave and take the stairs up. The two executioners didn't even glance their way. They stood still, almost as lifelessly as statues. Chloe look back and counted down by three with her fingers. Madsen shifted and stood at attention, ready to sprint the few paces required to reach them.

When her third finger dropped, Chloe turned the corner with her right arm extended in front of her. The crimson men both turned simultaneously and Chloe pressed the trigger. The broad head bolt left the smaller crossbow with force and shot straight through the further man's throat. It ripped straight through the exposed skin in an explosion of blood and clattered free to the ground behind him. The man brought up a hand to the exposed wound, trying as best he could to stem the flow of blood escaping him. His shout of alarm died before it left his lips. Madsen reached the closest executioner before the other man even dropped to his knees. The green scaled man grabbed him by the helmet with his left hand, right where his mouth would be. The Impact squeezed violently, crumpling the metal, bone and flesh in his fist. The man backed away on shaky legs and Chloe grimaced despite herself. The executioner's face was missing a large chunk at the base. His chin, mouth and part of his cheeks had been ripped completely free. He gargled blood and stumbled backwards, tripping over his fellow executioner who'd begun convulsing on the ground. Madsen reached out and got a hold of him before he fell, it would make too much noise if the armor clanged to the ground. He lowered him to the ground and pressed the man's helmet gently against the brick floor. Then he kept pressing. The man shook, limbs flailing, as his head was squished to the floor. Madsen got up, leaving the dead executioner's helmet flat to the ground with a handprint in the middle. Chloe reached her target who was still convulsing on the ground and she pulled out her enchanted blade. She let it drop an inch over his face and it fell point first straight through the helmet and a bit through the stone floor. He stopped moving.

Chloe wiped her enchanted blade on his inner clothing and looked around the corridor. It was a blood bath. The walls and floor were matted with dark red blood and clumps of brains had escaped through the bottom of the flat helmet where Madsen had killed his target. Kate didn't bother looking at the corpses, she simply walked to the door with a curious expression. It was a heavy wooden door and it was locked as Kate soon found out when she tried to pry it open. Chloe gestured for Madsen to do the honors. The Impact gently ripped the handle free of the door to try and minimize the amount of noise they were making. Then he grabbed the hole and cracked the piece with the lock straight off, the door swung open. Chloe waded through the pool of blood while reloading her crossbow and walked inside. It was a small room, barely the size of a closet actually. And it contained only a small chest. Chloe used her enchanted blade and sheared the top of the chest straight off. She placed her blade back between her shoulders and removed the top. Inside was a small stack of papers with writing on it. The hunter glanced over a few but she couldn't make out what it said. It was in a different language and quite a few were stained with what looked like old blood. The only discernable part of the notes were two names that came up on every sheet, Hev and Dana. Kate walked up behind her and peered at the notes in Chloe's hands.

"What is it?"

"Nothing important. We've wasted enough time…" Chloe shoved all the papers carelessly into the side pocket of her bolt bag. It could be analyzed later if it showed any importance. Right now the priority was getting to the Raven Knight. The three of them walked towards the stairs, they managed to get within five feet when Chloe stopped dead in her tracks. She'd been too preoccupied with thinking of the papers to notice the footsteps ahead. An executioner followed by two soldiers walked down the stairs and locked eyes with them. Everyone froze for a moment and three sets of eyes flickered to the bodies lying in pools of blood behind the group.

Pompidou was the first to move and the large war hound lunged at a soldier and landed on his chest. The dog bit down on his shoulder and used his large back claws to score through the man's belly, effectively gutting him. The executioner recovered second and he ducked under Madsen's fist to body Kate, heaving her into the brick floor hard. Chloe turned to help but the second soldier kicked her in the back on the knee which made her stumble forward into Madsen, taking both of them to the ground. Kate stood quickly and pulled her two short swords free as the executioners got his long sword out of his sheath. The crimson man parried her thrust and swept the woman's legs out from under her. Kate crashed to the ground on her back and the man plunged his sword down. She rolled to the side, got to one knee and rammed her left sword against his hip. The armor reverberated in the corridor and the man moved to the side deftly, keeping sword held forward towards her. Chloe was thrown away to the side by the Impact as the second soldier's short sword landed where she had been mere seconds ago. The sword connected with Madsen's chest in a metallic clang as he tried to stand up. The soldier's eye widened and he kicked the imbalanced Impact back down to the floor. Chloe took out her daggers and moved in front of him. He swung upwards in a wide arc with his left blade and made a straight jab with his right. The hunter parried the first blow and moved out of the way of the second by launching herself to the right.

She glanced at Kate who'd gotten the inside position on the executioner. The crimson man couldn't swing his sword properly with the woman in her position so he dropped it and swung a fist at her face. Kate ducked down with quick reflexes and the man's gauntlet rammed into the brick wall behind her. He groaned and doubled over in pain as Kate rammed a short sword into his abdomen. The blonde pushed him back against the far wall and rammed her last sword downwards in his shoulder blade. The soldier in front of Chloe lunged at her once more but she used her forearm to block his hand from continuing the swing. The hunter used the opportunity to stab him in the left hip with a dagger. The man cursed and she pushed him hard towards the war hound who'd just finished digging a deep cavity right in the first soldier's chest. Pompidou leaped into the soldiers back sending him careening towards Madsen who slammed a green scaled fist into his helmeted face. His fist ripped through the top of the man's head with a wet metallic sound and sprayed Chloe and the dog with his blood. The soldier's mangled body kept its momentum and slid to the ground lifelessly behind the Impact. The hunter wiped her forehead with her sleeve and spat to the side, trying her best to get the taste of the soldier's blood out of her mouth.

"Are you alright?" Chloe directed the question to Kate. The woman wore a blank expression while looking at the body speared with her short swords. "Kate?" The woman was shaken out of her reverie and she glanced back at Chloe. Her eyes shone with a deadly sort of excitement. She pulled her swords free, ignoring the question completely. She turned and simply walked past Chloe and Madsen determinedly, whistling on the way to get Pompidou's attention. "Kate? Stop… Hey… I sa…" She reached for the woman and her hand was batted away with a hard fist.

"I'm not such an easy target anymore… I'll show them what it's like to face someone who can fight back. They'll all pay." It was said softly and to nobody in particular as the woman climbed the stairs without trying to keep quiet. Chloe ran in the corridor after her with Madsen.  _"What the bloody hell is she doing? She's going to alarm the whole bloody castle…"_ Kate raced around the corner ahead. Chloe could see the woman smiling grimly, it was a terrifying look when combined with her heavily scarred face.

A surprised yell followed by a loud growl could be heard around the next bend and Chloe and the Impact pushed themselves even harder. They turned the corner in a large hall and Chloe's eyes widened. Pompidou was ripping out a soldier's throat and Kate was stepping up to two executioners at once. The blonde wasn't trying to defend herself, she backed away one pace in an attack stance and then lunged at the two men. A door to Chloe's right burst open and four more executioners ran into the hall. They'd heard the man's yell and come to join the fight. They were followed by another door to the right banging open with a group of three soldiers.  _"She's going to get us all killed."_ Her thoughts ran a mile a minute and Chloe pointed to the new groups of men.

"Madsen! Cover the doors! Whatever you do, don't let them escape and get reinforcements. I'll help Kate." Chloe raised her crossbow and shot a bolt past the men in front of her and towards one of the executioners fighting Kate. She'd been forced into a corner of the room and her two much more experienced foes worked in tandem to strike at her. She could barely parry all the blows coming her way and one of the crimson men managed to cut a deep gash in her left side as the other cut her right cheek open. The broad head bolt struck the man who'd hit Kate's side in the back of the neck. It propelled him forward and the second man's swords stabbed into his friend's back instead of spearing Kate through the chest. Chloe lowered her shoulder and ducked under one of the soldiers in her way. She came up violently and shuddered as her shoulder connected with the man's metal armor. It sent him crashing to the ground and Chloe dropped her crossbow to the ground to slip her daggers out of their sheaths. She was about to stab the fallen soldier in the neck when a metal boot slammed into her back, sending her flying face first into the long red rug that covered the hall's floor. She fell awkwardly and her daggers skittered to the ground out of her reach. She heard another door ahead of her open faintly and more sounds of footsteps.  _"No…"_ A high pitched whistle sounded and Kate's war hound rammed into the executioner approaching her. He crumpled against the wall and wailed in terror as the beast's long fangs ripped into his side right through his metal armor. Kate reached her and parried a strike by a soldier, she was bleeding heavily from her side and another wound on her left forearm. The executioner that she'd been left alone with was beheaded in the corner next to the one Chloe had shot. The group of men Chloe had heard finally reached the hall and yet another door opened. Four more executioners yelled and pointed towards them. Pompidou leaped at the group and tried to clamp his jaws down on an executioner, the crimson man was fast though and he ducked, letting the war hound fly past him and into the wall. Two of them had spears as weapon and they turned to force the dog back into a corner.

Chloe took out her enchanted blade and rushed to help Kate. The blonde backed away, her last short sword blurred from the quick motions she made that kept the enemy blades inches from connecting with flesh. Chloe dove and slid feet first on the bloody floor, using the liquid to slide by the two soldiers. As she slid by, the hunter swung her blade and sliced off two sets of feet at the ankles. The soldiers dropped, crying out in pain, unable to support their own weight anymore. Kate kicked one of them in the side towards an executioner and the crimson man barreled into the fallen man shouting. He fell forward and Kate rammed her short sword deep into his chest. She tried to grip the blade free but it didn't budge and a crimson metal gauntlet connected with her face with a hard  _crunch_. The crimson man pushed his advantage and swung down with his large war hammer at the exposed blonde. Chloe swung her enchanted blade upwards and cut the hammer down at the shaft. The large weight crashed to the ground next to Kate's face and Chloe ducked under a fist to slice the man clean through. The executioner's body separated into two halves and he fell to the ground in a spray of organs and blood. The left side of Kate's face was swollen at the cheek and the hunter reached down to get her up. Something hit her in the side and Chloe was sent crashing into a small table. The heavy vase that had been resting on top fell on her forehead, scoring a glancing blow before shattering on the ground. The hunter's vision went dark for a moment and she felt something grab her. She was heaved a few feet into the air and she landed back first into an opposing wall.

Chloe let out a pained wheeze and she scrambled for her bolt bag as she heard the metal footsteps grow nearer. She heard Madsen yell out in pain and it made her stomach drop. The Impact must've lost control of his shift. They were going to lose this battle, there were just too many enemies to fight. Her fingers wrapped around the sphere and she closed her eyes as she swung it towards the middle of the room. A smash of glass could be heard crisply followed by many voice crying out in pain. Her last blinder had done its job. Chloe opened her eyes to see the massive armored soldier in front of her, he was just shy of seven feet tall and built like a monster. He had a hand up to his eyes and the hunter moved in and cut him down with multiple quick slices of her enchanted blade. The first cut off his right arm at the elbow, the second dropped his right leg at the knee and the third sheared his left shoulder clean off. She kicked his body to the ground and turned to see Madsen using a spear to run through a soldier's abdomen. The Impact hadn't been affected by the blinder. The man wasn't wearing his dark green scales and he had blood running down his leg. There were less than six enemies left standing in the hall, more than she figured there should be. She guessed that more had entered during the fighting, they hadn't been quiet by any means. Chloe closed the distance between herself and the two closest men, they swung out blindly with their swords and she moved to the side and down with her blade. The two swords were cut at the hilt and she followed through with an upward cut that severed the first's leg and the second's left side. Both fell to the ground, out of commission. She spotted Kate sidestepping a man. The woman tripped him and he ran into the wall head first, he struggled to his feet but didn't manage to get up as Kate beheaded him with a longsword she'd picked up. Madsen finished off another with a well-aimed spear thrust to the neck.

The last soldier looked around the hall. There were dozens of bodies littering the hall. Blood covered the entire floor and random limbs were scattered next the bodies of their owners. The place was trashed, walls were stained red, large fist sized holes permeated the area near where Madsen had fought. Not everyone was dead, some men still groaned and shifted, holding on to stumps or deep wounds. They wouldn't survive the hour. The hunter approached the soldier and he immediately dropped his sword. The young man dropped to his knees and took off his helmet and gauntlets, throwing each carelessly to the side. He locked eyes with her and placed his hands up as a sign of resignation.

"Please…" Chloe didn't even get the chance to respond or decide anything. Kate's sword took him in the neck and he dropped to the ground lifelessly. That was the last straw for the hunter. Chloe turned to the blonde and grabbed her by the throat forcing her back and into the closest wall. Kate yelped and the hunter knocked the weapon out of her grasp.

"What is wrong with you?!" Chloe couldn't have put more venom in her voice if she'd tried. She stared down the blonde woman in her grasp with as much fury as she could muster.

"Wrong with me? He's the enemy!" Kate squirmed and tried to pry herself out of Chloe's grip. She was starting to become more frantic at the increasing pressure.

"I don't care about that bloody man you just killed! IT'S NOT ABOUT HIM!"

"Then what's your problem?!" Chloe scowled and slammed Kate against the wall a bit harder.  _"Is she really that bloody stupid?"_  A strong hand grabbed her from behind and separated the two women. Kate gasped for breath and glared at Chloe who was still enraged.

"This isn't the time! We were incredibly lucky that no alarm has been raised but we're now on borrowed time. We need to join up with the other group. You can settle this dispute later." Madsen let the hunter go and Chloe took a moment to breathe in and out slowly. Her hands were still shaking from the adrenaline rush during battle. Kate turned around and retrieved her short swords from where they had fallen. Chloe did the same for her daggers and her crossbow which thankfully wasn't harmed. She felt sore but otherwise in one piece, her head and shoulder throbbed but that was the extent of it. She glared at Kate's back.  _"It could've been a lot worse."_

From the corner of the room, Pompidou struggled to stand on his paws, his back left leg was bleeding. The war hound had been taken out of the fight shortly after his encounter with the executioners wielding spears. The dog whimpered when he put any weight on it and Kate bent down to examine his wound. Chloe didn't bother asking if she was alright, she was still furious with the woman. Madsen followed after the hunter and the three made their way down the deserted hallways. They were devoid of any people, she supposed that the loud fight had attracted anybody close enough to care. They reached the third floor without any problems and made their way near the back right tower. Only one patrol had to be avoided and Chloe thanked whatever gods were looking out for her that they didn't glance the group's way. They were in no state to get in another fight. Madsen was still trying to gather enough energy to shift again and Kate and Pompidou would be next to useless in a battle. Both were wounded badly. Chloe could fight but she'd rather avoid it if she could. After all, that  _had_  been the plan they were supposed to have followed. They finally reached a small area near the tower and a low voice made Chloe look to her right. She gestured for her party to follow, sticking to the shadows and out of sight of the actual tower until they reached where Victoria and Max were hidden. She didn't want to be spotted by a scout or the Raven himself and the third floor was fully exposed to the sky. It would be easy to spot someone from the tower's vantage point.

"Chloe… What happened..?" Max instantly ran to Chloe and rammed into her softly. Chloe held her tightly, not wanting to let go but Max forced herself away from her grasp to look the hunter over. Chloe glanced down at herself and cringed. She could see why Max was so worked up. Between the three skirmishes, after hacking and slashing her way through countless enemies, she looked horrible. Blood covered her new clothes like she'd bathed in a tub of it, her face was spattered with dried blood and she had multiple rips over her cloak where swords had struck close. Chloe gestured to the rest of her group.

"I'm fine Max, just light scrapes and bruises. Go tend to them." Max glanced up with a worried expression but nodded and did as told. The witch went over to Kate and looked over her deep wounds one by one. The blonde breathed in sharply and shook her head as she felt the toll of healing.

"I still feel weak…"

"I can't heal blood loss. Your body is just mended, you still need time to recover from that. You were severely injured Kate." Victoria approached the hunter and raised an eyebrow, she lowered her tone so she wouldn't distract Max. The witch moved on from Kate to look over Madsen and the war hound.

"What happened Blue? I heard some patrols run away from their posts to go deal with intruders. I assume that was you. How the hell did you guys manage to get noticed? I thought you'd have been great at stealth since you're always sneaking around and pelting targets with bolts from a mile away..." Victoria smiled at the jab and playfully pushed Chloe's shoulder with her right arm. The hunter frowned when Chloe didn't react as she thought. The blue-scarred hunter scowled and she felt rage seeping back into her body. Victoria looked very concerned all of a sudden. "Blue… What the hell happened?"

"I'll tell you later. Let's deal with the Raven first." She looked at Max. "Max are you done yet?" The witch looked back with a frown.

"I can't heal him. It just…" She frowned looking at the Impact's wounds. "Doesn't work… The healing energy just dissipates the moment I touch his skin with it." Madsen shrugged and gritted his teeth as he stood up from the ground.

"Don't worry about it Max. I had a feeling this would happen. Impacts and magic not mixing well and all..."

"I don't like this Madsen… What if you get seriously hurt? I can't help you. You should sit this one out and let the rest of us take the Raven down." The Impact shook his head, his tone left no room for discussion.

"I'm going with you. I won't be the last survivor again. If something happens and I get mortally wounded, that's on me. Not you." Max frowned and she looked as if she were about to press the issue some more but Victoria interrupted her.

"He's up there right now. Max and I used the bracelet before you arrived and we could still see him in the large room at the top of the tower. He keeps looking over the castle periodically though. We need to be very careful in our approach or he'll use the belt and vanish once again." Kate grimaced, her expression darkened.

"We can't let him get away." Chloe had more than enough of this.

"Quiet. Victoria and I are in charge of this operation. Stay out of this." Max and Victoria's eyes widened in surprise at the anger in the hunter's voice.

"He'll get away. We need to strike now." Kate was growing more insistent.

"We need to plan this out. I don't want this to end with our heads on a bloody pike."

"Burn your plan! You'll wait too long and he'll get away!" Kate stood up and whistled. Pompidou stood at attention and he followed as Kate sprinted with a quick dash in the exposed section of the wall towards the tower's door. Chloe and Victoria both reached out but the blonde managed to slip out of range. Chloe looked up to the tower and her face fell. The Raven Knight had been leaning on the edge of the tower, looking over the castle in his black armor. The man was looking directly at Kate, his helmet turning to keep her in sight during her mad sprint to his tower. He pulled out his long black sword from his sheath and yelled down to someone a floor below the group. Chloe couldn't see who he was shouting at from her angle.  _"He's getting reinforcements…"_  He turned and froze. Chloe locked eyes with him. Victoria and the rest of the group noticed the exchange and they all broke for a run after Kate.  _"Now he's expecting us… She'll run head first into a bloody ambush. Burn you Kate!"_ Chloe was the first to reach the open door at the base of the tower, she leaped the steps three at a time. The tower was huge and she managed to overtake Kate with her haste. The blonde didn't have the conditioning that years of being a hunter had given Chloe. Kate had slowed down and she was winded. The door was only a pace away from the two of them. Chloe grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop, Pompidou growled and his red irises glowed more brightly but a whistle from Kate placated him.

"What the hell is your problem Chloe?! You want him to get away?! Why do you keep trying to slow us down?!" Chloe felt the rage boil up inside her, it took everything in her power not to lash out at the woman.

"I'm trying to slow us down because that's how you plan against a dangerous foe! You don't rush in headfirst like a bloody fool! It takes time you bloody inconsiderate woman! I'm trying to save your bloody life!" Madsen and Victoria reached the pair with Max a second or two behind them. Kate slammed a fist into Chloe's hand to loosen her grasp and she tore her hand away.

"I don't need your help! I'm not defenseless anymore! I can protect myself!" Kate leaped the last few steps and gripped onto the door. Max reached out to stop her with a sudden burst of speed just as Kate opened the door. The all too familiar  _SNAP_  Chloe heard made the hunter's blood freeze. A broad head bolt passed by Kate's right side and rammed into Max's left shoulder, missing the witch's neck by mere inches. Max fell backwards from the impact of the bolt and her head slammed into the metal railing next to the stairs. Chloe reached out to catch her as Victoria and Madsen rushed in the room after Kate. Chloe lowered her on the small platform next to the door. She didn't know what to do. She was no healer. The witch was bleeding heavily from her shoulder, the back of her head was also leaking blood. The hunter was panicking, she could barely register the tears in her eyes. She started to shake Max, trying to wake her up as best she could.

"Max! Max! Max!" The witch finally groaned and moved in pain, her eyes still shut. Chloe heard a loud shout from the room behind her. She kissed Max lightly on the forehead. "I'll be back Max. Just stay down. Don't come in." The witch didn't seem to hear her, Chloe didn't even know if she was actually conscious. The hunter swung around and darted into the large room just in time to see the Raven Knight stand back up. He wasn't wearing his helmet, it had been knocked away from him and he now sported a bleeding gash over his right eyebrow. A tall lanky man with a trimmed beard and fancy clothing was trying to make himself as small as possible in the corner of the room. She recognized him as Lord Senam. Kate, Pompidou and Madsen were picking themselves off the ground. Victoria was groaning, curled up in a ball to the side. Chloe lifted her one handed crossbow at the man and fired for his head. The bolt flew towards his terrified face and stopped. It hung in the air an inch from his blue eyes. Chloe gaped, mouth open.  _"How..?"_

She heard light footsteps behind her and she turned just in time to see a man step over Max and into the room. He had his hand held up, palm outwards and the bolt next to the Raven Knight's face flew across the room and deposited itself gently into his hand. The man wore a dirty brimmed hat and a black cloak over his dark brown trousers and green buttoned shirt. He wasn't armored and he wore no weapons aside from a ceremonial dagger in its sheath at his right hip and a long quarterstaff that stood a foot taller than himself in his left hand. He had bright orange irises and the rest of his face was hidden behind a torn piece of black cloth that covered his nose down to a couple inches below his chin. The man had dozens of old healed cuts over the exposed skin of his face and Chloe noticed that he was branded with the Raven's insignia on both side of his neck. The man didn't speak, he closed the door shut behind him and just looked back at the Raven Knight silently. The light brown haired man chuckled darkly and struggled to his feet. Chloe turned back to him, she hadn't noticed in how bad a shape the Raven actually was. Green sickly veins were spread around his face and he groaned with every move. Madsen got to his feet and shifted just as Victoria scrambled to her knees and lifted her metal fist towards him. The Raven looked at the man behind Chloe with a scowl.

"Kill them all." Then he slammed his gauntlet into his belt and screamed out in agony as his body was enveloped with a piercing orange glow. Chloe closed her eyes instinctively so as not to burn her retinas. When she opened them again, the Raven Knight was gone. He'd escaped again. The quarterstaff wielding man stepped forward and she looked into his orange eyes. He raised the staff towards her and without a word, he charged.

* * *

**Important A/N**

I've just put out a one-shot story that ties into  _The Blue Hunter_  very heavily. It is aptly named " _The Raven Knight_ " since it follows Nathan's perspective over the events of this chapter. I highly recommend giving it a read since some of the information acquired there won't be revealed in The Blue Hunter for quite some time. It also allows a small glimpse into the mind of one of this story's main antagonists. It's only 3.6k words so it's not too long a read. If you're interested, click on my profile and you can find the story there.

 


	36. Escaping From Hell

Chloe threw herself to the floor as the quarterstaff whizzed where her head had been. She rolled to the side and came up with her daggers but the man didn't slow. He whirled the staff with quick precise moves and slammed the end of it over the hunter's left wrist. The force of the blow rendered her hand numb and the dagger slipped from her grip to fall onto the carpet of the large room. Chloe cursed and backed away once more, holding her left dagger. It was useless and the hunter knew it. The man was far too skilled for the hunter to close in on him properly. Chloe threw the dagger at his face and the man struck it out of the air with his staff without missing a beat. It clattered to the floor a few feet behind him.

"Get down!" Victoria's shout came from somewhere behind her. The hunter dropped to the ground and loud  _bang_  resounded in the room. The orange eyed man was flung backwards violently and he crashed into the wall next to the door he'd entered moments ago. He groaned and scrambled to his feet as Madsen ran to intercept him. The Impact swung a scaled fist at the enemy. The foe ducked underneath the blow but wisely kept the Impact in Victoria's line of fire to avoid being hit by the woman's metal fist once more. His hand came up and Chloe yelled out in alarm as the Raven's discarded helmet flew from across the room to ram into the back of Madsen's head. The Impact fell to one knee with a pained expression, his skin shimmering between green scales and white skin. Victoria lined up another shot and fired just as the orange eyed man gestured towards her. Her metal limb swung forcefully away from her target and pointed to Madsen. Another  _bang_  and Madsen was propelled head first into the wall in front of him. He crumpled to the ground and laid still, blood trickling from a deep gash on his forehead. Chloe reached for a bolt at her belt and leaped to where her small crossbow lay on the ground just as Kate reached the enemy with Pompidou in tow.

The man's orange eyes widened and he threw himself to the side carelessly to avoid the large fangs of the crimson beast lunging at him. Kate's short sword scored his side on the way down cutting through the green shirt and the flesh underneath it. He rolled as he landed and came up with his quarterstaff up. Chloe raised her crossbow and shot at his leg left, placing the shot where he couldn't deflect it properly. It didn't reach him as the man's hand pointed to her, palm extended outwards. The bolt curved in the air and embedded itself in the ground in front of him as flurry of random objects flew in the air to slam forcefully into Pompidou's flank. The large hound yelped as he was knocked into Kate's feet. The blonde woman fell to the ground awkwardly.

"Close in on him!" Victoria sprinted past her, dagger in her right hand. She ducked under a quarterstaff blow and backed away a pace. The man's staff blurred in the air from the speed with which he struck. Victoria yelled as the piece of wood swung near her face and kept going downwards in its arc to slam into the back of her ankle. Chloe pulled her enchanted blade out and rushed in just as Victoria kicked her boot out and landed a hard hit squarely in his left knee. He fell on his other knee as his leg buckled and gave out from under him. Kate got up and ran the few paces required to reach him. Chloe reached him faster, she swung her blade at his head and missed by a foot. Her blade curved upwards and was ripped out of her grasp as it flew upwards and burrowed into the roof of the stone tower, up to its hilt. Kate's rush was stopped abruptly as the woman's left boot moved unnaturally in front of her right foot. She fell to the ground with her hands extended to protect her face. Acutely aware that she had no weapons left, Chloe swung a fist into the side of the man's face and connected hard enough to make her hand throb. His head flung to the side and his brimmed hat fell off his head, exposing a head of short brown hair. She followed it up with a sucker punch to the stomach which left the man's wheezing. As she lined up another hit, the man's quarterstaff flung itself from the floor and hit her in the stomach, forcing her back a few paces. He scrambled to his feet and backed away from the three women to keep a safe distance away. He squinted his orange eyes and kept both hands in front of him, daring them to make the next moves. Victoria got up and his hand flung itself in her direction.

"Wh… No! NO! N..!" Victoria's eyes widened and she yelled out as her own metal appendage pointed itself at her head.

A loud  _bang_  and the hunter's head whipped back inhumanly fast. The hunter stumbled half a step backwards and fell to the ground lifelessly, head hitting the floor hard. Victoria's eyes were closed and blood trickled from her nose and ears. She lay completely still.  _"Bloody hell… What can I do?"_ Kate screamed out in anger and lunged at him recklessly. The man's staff flew into his right hand and he sidestepped Kate easily as she lunged forward with her short swords. Chloe yelled a warning as she saw the man raise his quarterstaff. Kate had placed herself in a bad position by trying to rush him but the man didn't slam his staff over her head like the hunter expected. Instead, he stuck out his foot and tripped Kate as he turned to Chloe. The hunter was forced back as he lunged forwards and struck out. Chloe raised her hands to block the flurry of moves but all it did was shield her face at the expense of her hands. Five consecutive hard blows followed by a boot to the abdomen sent her crashing to the ground. She fell to the ground and scrambled back with her feet. Her upper arms were in agony and a sharp pain was running up her arm to her shoulder from the blows she'd absorbed.

Kate rushed the man from the back and he turned to her deftly. Kate once again attacked with no regards for her own safety and the man parried blow after blow. He finally swiveled and moved behind her as she thrust forward with the point of one of her short swords. Once again, he didn't press his advantage and crack Kate over the head with his staff. Instead, he slammed it into her heels and sent her to the floor. Chloe went to one knee but didn't manage to stand up before her foe kicked her in the head with the sole of his boot. The hunter's vision went black and she lay still on her back for a moment. She opened her eyes and blinked to try and make her blurry vision go away. A loud incessant throb came from her forehead and she could feel a trickle of blood running over her scar and her eyebrow. A loud groan of pain escaped her lips and she mustered just enough strength to flip on her side and face the man. He turned to Kate and used his staff to knock the woman's swords out of her hands, sending them clattering to the floor. Kate tried to get to him with her fists but he raised his hand and sheets flew from the bed to wrap themselves around the blonde. Kate stumbled off-balance and fell backwards on her bottom, wrapped tightly from shoulders to hips in cloth. The blonde opened her mouth and a piece of cloth wrapped it shut as well, her eyes gleamed with rage.

Just as the fight ended, the door to the room opened to allow three executioners inside with weapons raised. They looked around the trashed area and lowered their swords. A victorious shout came from the back corner of the room and Lord Senam walked into her vision triumphantly. The tall, skinny man was smiling broadly with his arms outstretched.

"We did it!" The lord let out a lout gut wrenching laugh. "The bloody fools had no idea who they were facing!" Chloe found herself scowling.  _"Bloody coward didn't do shit…"_

"We?" The orange eyed man squinted and he stepped forward. His tone of voice was dry and emotionless. "And what is it that you did exactly?" The man spoke with a heavy slur around his vowels which made him hard to understand. Based from his accent, he was clearly not native to this continent. Lord Senam brushed the question aside without a second thought. He turned to the executioners who were now sheathing their weapons. It was clear that the fight was over and no more resistance would come.

"What took you men so long to get here? I am very dissatisfied with you lot. The Raven Knight gloats about his executioners constantly and yet you take this long to respond to the sounds of fighting. Cowards… The whole lot of you!" The crimson men shuffled in their armor and the one at the front took a step forward.

"We found a hole in the castle's wall on level one, facing south. By the time we raised the alarm and scouted the grounds we found a bloodbath in hall four." His eyes scanned the bodies of Chloe's friends laying on the ground. "This group slaughtered and wounded many of our own. We left half the squad to take care of the wounded and came straight here."

"Excuses…" The lord waved his hand dismissively. "Where are my men?" The crimson man's sniffed derisively inside his helmet.

"Your men saw what happened in hall four and left to go guard the perimeter. I believe your lieutenant said it was 'to stop the men responsible from leaving the castle.' My men were the only ones that decided to stay and check the inside." Lord Senam frowned and coughed in his hand.

"Yes, well… clearly we had everything in hand anyways. My lieutenant is to be commended for his strategic thinking." The executioner stepped back. Chloe looked at the orange eyed man. He was using a small piece of a torn shirt to bandage his side. He readjusted the black piece of cloth obscuring his face and fetched his brimmed hat off the floor where it had fallen. "Now let's take a closer look here…" The lord walked over and bent down near Victoria. "Mmm… If my memory serves right. This is the woman who caused the trouble in Beorf is it not?" He looked to the man wielding the quarterstaff. The man replied with a curt nod and one word.

"Slither."

The lord moved on to Madsen crumpled by the door and then gaped openly when his gaze fell over Pompidou. The large war hound was panting under a pile of rubble. "What an odd group of rebels…" The lord gestured to the door and the executioner closest to it, opened it. Chloe could barely spot the material of Max's cloak next to the lord's boots. "Bring her in here with the rest of them. The crimson man grabbed the witch by the ankles and dragged her unconscious form inside, depositing her next to Victoria.

"Get… your hands… off of her!" Chloe tried to get up. Pain shot up her hands and she pushed through it, gritting her teeth as she got to her knees. The orange eyed man walked over and slammed the butt of his staff down on her back hard. Chloe crashed back down to the ground with a groan, curling up in pain. The soft sound of boots approached and she stilled herself long enough to look up at Lord Senam. He was gazing at her with a gleeful expression, like a child given a tasty piece of candy.

"The Blue Hunter. Isn't this just great!" He looked back at the man with the staff. "We've singlehandedly taken down the entire group of rebels." He gestured to Max and then to Kate who was still furiously glaring at everyone from where she was tied up. "The witch… And Bokeh's prisoner." Kate flinched unconsciously at the name of the man who'd given her the many scars that donned her face and body. "I will be welcomed back to Arcadia as a hero. The High Lord won't be able to deny me this for once. You will be rewarded as well of course, I shall make you my right hand man. Someone with your skills should have a leader deserving of them." The man with the staff frowned.

"I am the property of the Raven Knight. I obey only him." Lord Senam scowled but didn't object further.

"The Raven left you and me behind but if you want to stay by that traitor's side, be my guest." He looked back at Chloe, his gaze was filled with murderous intent. "Enough standing around. Let's kill the whole lot of them and get ready for the journey to Arcadia. I have to prepare what I'll say to the High Lord. It's important to make him understand just how cowardly his son acted. I'll make him pay for embarrassing me… How dare he take over  _my_  castle and  _my_  men without thinking that there would consequences?" The lord took Victoria's dagger off the floor and walked over to Kate.

"Not her." The lord stumbled slightly and looked back to the orange eyed man.

"What?"

"She could be of use alive. Bokeh's failure in Beorf left the city in chaos. The last two reigning lords were killed within four months of each other and the city's population is starting to rebel against any the High Lord Prescott appoints to the position. They are irate at the way they've been treated and they won't bow to another lord forced onto them." The man locked eyes with Kate. "She's the daughter of Richard Marsh. Her family was very influential over the population of Beorf. You could use her to settle the city down."

"Why should this concern me? Let the city burn itself to the ground. I couldn't care less about it"

"Think about it Senam. You triumph over the Raven by taking down the ones he was supposed to kill. You triumph over Bokeh by settling the city he descended into chaos. This will look great for you." The lord smiled broadly.

"Yes… Yes. I see what you mean." The lord walked over to Kate who was still seething in her restraints. "What about it dear? Will you help me if I spare your life?" He took the gag off the blonde and Kate spat in his face. The lord recoiled.

"Never! I'd rather die than be your puppet!" The man with the staff frowned and he stepped in front of her as the lord moved forward angrily.

"Get out of my way!" The man didn't move so Lord Senam looked over his shoulder to look at Kate. "You'd rather die? Fine! That can be arranged!" Chloe suddenly felt something tugging at her belt and she frowned in confusion.  _"Wh..?"_ She was about to look down but a loud angry shout from the lord brought the hunter's attention back to the scene in front of her.

"Out of my way!" The man still didn't budge, Chloe thought he looked somewhat distressed but it was difficult to tell with half his face covered up.

"She's useful alive Senam. Even if she doesn't help you. You could keep her in your castle under guard in case the need for her ever comes up. Kill the rest but keep her alive for later."

"I'll never be of use to you! I'd slit my own wrists before you could use me as a chip in one of your schemes!" Kate yelled out in rage. The lord scowled and shoved the man with the staff out of his way. He raised the dagger and a black gloved hand clamped onto his wrist stopping it before it could descend towards its target. The lord tried to move it but it was held steady, the man's hard grip was not giving way. Chloe felt the tugging at her belt grow more insistent, rougher. It was almost enough to make her look away from the confrontation.  _Almost_.

"Senam. I urge you to reconsider."

"Have you gone mad? Let go of me this instant! I've made my decision." The hunter's belt stopped moving. The man with the staff let go of the lord's wrist.

"So you have." He voice was cold and emotionless once more. The lord felt at his wrist, massaging it slightly. Kate's eyes widened disbelievingly and Chloe frowned, the woman was looking at her.  _"What is she..?"_  Three objects flew from next to Chloe and rammed into the executioners near the door. The hunter's mouth dropped open as she saw her bolts sticking out of the crimson men's eye slits. The executioners dropped to the ground in a clatter of armor and Lord Senam jumped with a yelp. He turned and as he did, the man with orange eyes slammed his boot into the side of the Lord's knee. It snapped with a loud  _crack_  and the man screamed out in pain, stumbling back from his aggressor. He limped to the area overlooking the castle and dropped the dagger to the ground raising his hands.

"Pl…" The man dropped his staff on the ground and walked over. He grabbed the lord and hurled him off the side of tower. A loud scream could be heard for a second before it was cut off abruptly. Chloe locked eyes with a frightened Kate and she tried once again to scramble to her feet.  _"This is my chance… I just need to get a weapon."_  She ground her teeth and struggled towards one of Kate's short words. She reached over and a boot connected with her side. The breath left her lungs and she curled up in a ball to protect herself from another blow while gasping for air. She heard the sound of a dagger leaving its sheath and felt a sense of dread. She looked up and saw her enemy holding a ceremonial dagger in his gloved hand. He glanced away for a second and raised his hand. The sheets around Kate that were acting as restraints suddenly loosened and the blonde got to her feet. Kate looked around quickly, her gaze flickering to the scattered weapons that were just out of reach. The quarterstaff flew from the ground and landed in his left hand. He pointed to the door with it.

"Go." Kate stood dumbfounded. Chloe spat blood on the floor, she reached for the dagger again and screamed when the man stepped on her wrist with his boot. Pain shot up her side and up her arm. He still hadn't looked away from the blonde.

"They come with me." Kate stood her ground. The dagger in the center of the room flew in the air and came to rest at head height with its point facing Kate.

"Last chance woman. Go." She didn't move.

"I'm not going anywhere without them."

"I  _will_  kill you."

"I doubt that. If you wanted me dead, you wouldn't have thrown the lord off this bloody tower…" The man seemed to grow frustrated. A few shouts came from outside the tower. The guards had probably found the lord's body. He glanced at the balcony. The man grunted angrily and the dagger slammed into the ceiling, the blade bent and the hilt shattered from the force. He sheathed his ceremonial dagger at his waist.

"Gather them up before more executioners come." The man lifted his boot from Chloe's wrist. The hunter groaned in pain as she felt the man's gloved hand grab her roughly by the shirt. He pulled her to her feet and turned her around.

"What are you doing?" The man opened her bolt bag and she felt the objects move out of it. When she turned back to the man with the orange eyes, a good dozen of her broad head bolts floated in the air next to his shoulders.

"I can't be associated with your escape. If they knew…" The way he said it made the hunter frown, there was raw concern in his slurred voice. He composed himself quickly and his tone went back to the emotionless one she associated with him. "I'm going to use your bolts if we encounter any resistance. I can't let any of them see me and live. They'll assume you killed the men and escaped, I'll corroborate the assumption."

"Thank you." The man didn't show any emotion in his eyes. Chloe did manage to get a better look at the scars around his neck and face at this proximity. They had to have been caused by long deep gashes from a sharp blade. There were so many, at least dozens over the small amount of exposed skin. She shuddered unconsciously. He shoved her towards the center of the room.

"Go."

Chloe bent down and felt for Max's pulse. A deep sense of relief reached her when she felt the steady heartbeat. It was slow but it was there. She moved on to Victoria next. The short haired blonde was breathing but showing no signs of consciousness. Blood was starting to dry under her nose and out of her ears. She'd taken a jolt blast at very close proximity. Chloe hoped that it hadn't caused any internal hemorrhaging or lasting damage. Kate got up from the corner with Madsen. The Impact was wobbly on his feet and he held a hand to his forehead where a deep cut was bleeding steadily. The blood had seeped over his left eye and down his cheek and chin. His leg wound taken earlier was forcing him to limp. Kate hurried over to where Pompidou was still buried in rubble.

"Madsen, can you shift?" The large man shook his head and got to one knee near Victoria.

"I can barely move right now. What's going on?" He looked at the quarterstaff wielding man pointedly. The strange man was currently using whatever power he had, to pull Chloe's enchanted blade from the ceiling. He let it fall next to a large pile of weapons he was gathering. Among it was Chloe's smaller crossbow and her two daggers.

"I don't know… But I'm not going to complain about it. Let's just concentrate on getting out of this bloody castle. The Impact nodded and leaned down to pick up Victoria. The hunter's body slumped like a ragdoll in his arms. Chloe looked down to Max and put a hand gently to the side of her face.

"Max… Max… Can you hear me? M…" The witch eyes fluttered open a fraction before shutting closed once more. Max leaned her head in Chloe's hand.

"Chloe..." The voice was so low and weak that Chloe would've missed it if she hadn't been looking out for it.

"That's it Max. Let's get you out of here…" She carefully brought the witch to a sitting position before lifting her up onto her feet. Max was not supporting herself and Chloe found herself struggling to keep the witch up. Kate noticed and ran to support the other side. The bolt was still firmly embedded into the witch's shoulder and her face was caked with dried blood where she'd hit her head. Pompidou moved stiffly towards the group and sat gingerly by Kate's leg. He was whimpering and a few wounds in his side were leaking crimson. The man lifted his free hand and Chloe flinched as weapons flowed in the air near her. Her two dagger and her enchanted blade moved slowly back into their sheathes and her smaller crossbow slung itself back onto her belt. The hunter noticed that the side of her belt was broken. Three of the loops which used to hold her bolts had all been snapped. The floating short swords went to Kate, nothing went to Victoria. Her dagger had been the one smashed into the ceiling.

"Let's go."

The group followed the man slowly. Everyone was wounded and it was hard to support two unconscious women. Thankfully, they didn't have to fight their way out. That was handled by their guide who turned corner after corner in haste. They ran across two patrols of three executioners which were swiftly dispatched by the bolts floating by the man's shoulders. The crimson men didn't expect it so it had been easy. The man would turn a corner first and tell any executioners there to stand at attention, then he would kill them before they could react. The rest of the group would follow after the enemies had fallen. They reached the hole in the southern wall and two more bolts rammed into the pair of guards' eyes. The man stopped three paces from the hole.

"Come with us. You could help us take them down." Chloe blurted out the first thing that came to mind. The man didn't react well, his eyes narrowed and his tone grew angry.

"No. And I want your assurances that you'll drop this foolish plan of yours. Nobody can defeat the High Lord… Nobody…" The last was said with a tinge of defeat.

"But you let us go and defied the Raven Knight's order…"

"I let  _her_  go." He gestured to Kate with his staff. "I granted mercy to the rest of you conditionally. There are other forces at play. I will not… I  _cannot_  leave my post." Chloe's mouth dropped open in confusion.

"What? I…" The man moved in closer and towered over her. His orange eyes stared at the hunter, commanding her attention.

"Run away and forget the High Lord. The whole lot of you. Go further west all the way to the coast and take a boat as far away from here as you can manage. This is my condition. If I see you again. Any of you…" His eyes moved to Kate. "I will kill you." Chloe didn't say anything for a moment and she noticed the man's hand twitch towards the dagger at his side.

"You're right… We're in over our heads. We'll take off. My word on it!" The man exhaled and his hand moved away from the dagger. He gestured to the hole in the wall and turned around.

"Good luck running away from him." He turned the corner and Chloe caught the last few words he spoke softly under his breath. "At least  _you_  can escape this hell…"


	37. Consequences

"C'mon… We're almost there Max. You'll be alright…" The words slipping out of the hunter's mouth were met by the same silence that had plagued her mind for the last thirty minutes. Departing the castle and coming back to the camp had taken the group a long time in their broken state. Too long. For every minute it had taken to get here, it took five to get back. Chloe could see a slight bit of light escaping its way through the trees up ahead. Her boot connected awkwardly with a root and the hunter cursed as she stumbled a step. She would've fallen over if not for Kate's assistance. The blonde was on Max's other side to offer support. The small brunette was completely out of it and she could do nothing to help the other two women travelling through the woods. Chloe's arms were still in utter agony and she gritted her teeth for what felt like the hundredth time as she struggled onwards with the witch.

Madsen was no better off. The Impact was struggling more than Kate or Chloe and had required frequent short breaks to rest. The hunter could see the determination in his eyes as he singlehandedly carried an unconscious Victoria in his arms despite the large wound in his leg and the deep gash on his forehead. His breathing was ragged and his face was contorted in pain. Chloe pushed herself harder the last few paces, she could see the camp clearly now.  _"Almost there Max… Just hold on a bit longer…"_  Her left side ached. It was probably a swollen mass of bruises by now. She could hear Pompidou whimpering somewhere much further back. The dog was painfully slow compared to the rest of the group. Chloe guessed that the beast had broken some ribs when the volley of objects sent by the orange eyed man had crashed into it. She breached the border of the camp and collapsed to her knees. Her body was having trouble responding, the last bit of adrenaline that had helped her ignore her own exhaustion slipped from her grasp.

"Warren! Warren..!" Kate's yell was interrupted by bouts of coughing. Both women were breathing heavy. Max's head was hung down lifelessly as she was propped up. The witch had shown no signs of consciousness since speaking Chloe's name back at Fireheart Castle. Madsen broke through the last few trees and walked on another few steps with Victoria. Chloe noticed the Impact's wounded leg trembling uncontrollably and he groaned as it buckled under the combined weight. He fell to the ground and dropped Victoria roughly onto the dirty ground. The tinkerer's nomadic wagon slammed open and the hunter saw Warren's eyes open wide in horror as he looked at the sight in front of him. He ran over in haste and got to his knees in front of Madsen and the downed hunter.

"What happened?! What the bloody hell happened?! No… No… This is bad…" The tinkerer's voice was panicked and he seemed on the brink of losing whatever composure he had. "Vic?" He started to shake the hunter's shoulder. The woman's head wobbled and fell to the side, unresponsive. "Vic?" Chloe struggled to speak, her mouth felt so dry.

"Warren…" It came out raw and weak. The tinkerer didn't turn towards her. "Warren!" The man looked at her and she could see in his eyes just how out of his depth he was. The man was hardly holding together. "Get Max's leather bag. The one in your wagon, on the left side next to the chest. Bring water and whatever clean bandages you can find." He was frozen, his gaze dropping to the unconscious witch being held by Kate and herself. "SNAP OUT OF IT! GO!" He scrambled to his feet and ran to his yellow wagon. Kate moved Max to the ground, laying her on her good side so that the bolt embedded in her shoulder didn't brush the dirt. Kate moved a couple paces over and looked at Victoria as the tinkerer came back with the leather bag. Chloe grabbed it from his hands and ripped it open. It was filled to the brim with herbs and salves that were separated in many small pockets lining the insides. The hunter's eyes moved between them quickly, her shaky hands hovering over the opening. She scowled angrily.

"Kate! Come over here! I don't know what to do with any of this!" The blonde got to her side and looked at the contents of the bag. "You were a healer with your church…" Kate's mouth opened and she backed a step.

"I only recognize a few of these herbs Chloe. Max was leagues above me in that department and she doesn't use traditional methods. I don't know what most of this i…" Chloe rammed the bag violently into the woman's chest and she growled ferociously.

"Heal! Her!"

"Chloe…"

"HEAL! HER!" Kate took the bag and got to her knees shakily. She frowned and started to take out most of its contents.

"Victoria's breathing is too shallow. Her heartbeat is barely noticeable." Madsen's voice. Kate turned to him and tried to move towards the fallen hunter. Chloe gripped the blonde's arm in as hard of a grip as she could manage. Piercing pain shot up her own arm but she ignore it as best she could.

"Chloe! Vic could die! Let me go!" Chloe didn't let go.

"Our best shot to save them both is to wake Max first. There's nothing you and I can do for Vic." Kate opened her mouth with a distraught expression.

"Chloe, Max has barely enough strength to keep herself alive. She's lost too much blood, she's too weak. If you make her heal Vic and use whatever energy she has left, her body could give up on her… She could die."

"Vic's dead without her."

"This is dangerous… Are you willing to risk losing both to save one?" Kate's statement cut through her as well as any sharp blade ever could. A deep sense of dread rose through her gut. Madsen, Kate and Warren were all looking at her. She was the leader, this was her decision.  _"I don't want to choose... It isn't fair…"_ She looked at the pale brunette in front of her. She blinked away a couple of tears that fell to the ground.  _"I'm sorry..."_

"Wake her up." Kate dropped down next to her and pulled out a white bulbous root from the pile on the ground. The woman reached at Chloe's side and took her left dagger out of its sheath before cutting the root down the middle. A powerful smell reached the hunter's nose and she covered her face instinctively. The stench was acrid and made her eyes sting. Kate placed it under the brunette's nose. It crinkled. Another moment and Max's eyes fluttered. They were glazed over and barely a quarter open but she seemed to have woken up a bit. Chloe wiped her eyes and sniffled before reaching down with her hand and cupping the woman's face.

"Max. Can you hear me?" She nodded weakly, it was barely noticeable. "I need you to heal Victoria. She's going to die without your help. Can you do that for me?" Max blinked her eyes a few times and tried to struggle up. Chloe pressed her other hand down to keep her in her position. It required next to no effort to keep her down, the witch was really weak. "Don't get up." She turned to Warren and Madsen. "Bring Victoria closer." The two men each took a shoulder and dragged the unresponsive hunter next to Chloe. Max was still on her side, she lifted a hand and her eyes started to droop closed once more. Kate slit open another bulb quickly and placed it under the witch's nose. Max blinked a few times and grew a bit more conscious. Chloe lifted the brunette's hand and placed it on Victoria's head. "You can do this Max." She locked eyes with her and tried to smile convincingly. Max's gaze flickered to Victoria and her face took on a strained expression. Brow furrowed, the small brunette groaned in pain for a couple seconds before collapsing. The witch's limp hand rolled to the ground. Chloe shook her slightly to no avail. Madsen leaned his ears next to Victoria and placed a couple of fingers on her throat to feel her pulse.

"She's breathing much more steadily than before and her pulse is back to normal." Kate placed the root under the hunter's nose but nothing happened. Victoria was still completely unresponsive.

"Bloody hell!" Chloe slammed her fist into the dirt, ignoring the pain. Kate pushed her out of the way gently and gestured for Warren to step up.

"You've done all you can to help. I'll take it from here. Warren hand me that…" Chloe stopped listening as she forced herself to her feet. It felt like dragging her limbs through thick molasses, each movement taking an unnaturally long time to comply. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, staying for mere seconds before slipping away into the abyss once more. She walked to Madsen who was leaning against a log a few paces away. The hunter sat next to him in silence. Both sets of eyes locked on Kate and Warren as they proceeded with removing the bolt from Max's shoulder. Time seemed to move so slowly yet so quickly at the same time, it was a jarring feeling but she felt too numb to comprehend it at the moment. She blinked and noticed Kate and Warren walking back towards them. Max and Victoria were bandaged up and both lay with heads over improvised pillows made of bundles of cloth. Chloe had trouble narrowing down how much time had passed. She must've lost herself in thought while the two worked. Kate slumped down on the ground further in front of her.

"…f we'd been just a bit faster. We were so close. He'd be dead by now if we would've struck quicker." The numbness in Chloe's mind dissipated slowly. It gave way to a much stronger feeling. A feeling that heated her veins and ran rampant through her body, giving it a small burst of energy from a reserve buried deep within her core. Rage enveloped her and a scowl made its way onto the hunter's face.

"Burn you Kate! How  _dare_  you say that! This is  _your_  fault!" She stood up on wobbly legs, fists shaking at her side from the force of her grip. The pain was welcomed this time. It helped her concentrate, it grounded her. Kate looked up with anger.

"My fault?! If we'd struck quicker, even by just a moment. None of this would've happened."

"You blind fool! You think you know what happened?! I'll tell you what bloody happened! HE SAW YOU!" Kate mouth opened a slight bit in confusion. "When you ran off by yourself ahead of the team when  _I TOLD YOU TO STAY PUT!_ He spotted you and yelled down for backup! That man that stopped the bolt in the air?! He came to help the Raven  _because OF YOU!_ If you'd listened… If you'd stopped being so caught up in your own little plan… So caught up and blinded by revenge… He'd be dead right now! You want to know who's to blame for this?! It's  _you!_ " Kate looked up at her from the ground with a stunned expression. Warren and Madsen stayed quiet, neither spoke nor moved.

"I…"

"Quiet!" Chloe spat out the word with venom. "You want to know what  _I_  saw out there Kate? I saw a selfish, uncaring,  _inconsiderate_  woman who ignored everything we agreed on and risked her friend's lives for her own petty goals! You almost got Madsen and I killed in that corridor! You brought heaps of executioners down on our heads and showed not a care in the world about us! Then you go and force our hands into attacking too quickly before his reinforcements were out of sight! You shredded any hope of having the upper hand and the element of surprise! That bolt that struck Max? That's on  _YOU!_ " Kate swallowed hard, a few unshed tears were in the blonde's eyes. "You may as well have turned the crossbow on her and pulled the trigger yourself!" Chloe waved a hand towards Victoria. "You brought that orange eyed man to us!  _YOU_  are responsible for what happened to Vic! To Madsen! To your own bloody hound!" Kate was crying now, tears were leaking down her face.

"I'm… I'm sorr…"

" _NO!_ You don't get to apologize for this! This isn't something you can bury and leave behind! LOOK AT THEM KATE!" She pointed to the two unconscious women. "THOSE ARE  _YOUR_  FRIENDS OVER THERE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES! People who cared so much about you that they risked everything time and time again for you! Max even healed your bloody sister when she was on her deathbed at the risk of being exposed as a witch! And Victoria entered a fortified city with barely any hope of survival just to save your ungrateful ass! They've done so much for you and  _this_  is how you repay them?! These aren't expendable soldiers on a battlefield Kate! They're your  _friends!_ "

"Chloe…" The hunter ignored Madsen's voice. Chloe's vision was getting blurred from the tears that she hadn't noticed were making their way down her own face. Her white knuckled fists tightened even more, letting more pain sear her bones and muscles.

"If Max and Vic die, it's because of  _you!_ Their blood is on  _your_  hands Kate, if that's something you even care for! Seems all I can remember you giving a shit about was that bloody Raven! Well… Rest assured Kate! He escaped because of  _your_  actions tonight!"

"Chloe!"

"What you did tonight was abhorrent! It was the actions of a child who lacks empathy for those around her! The only reason the whole lot of us aren't dead right this moment is because an enemy showed mercy to us! We should all be dead! And that's completely, one hundred percent, on  _you!_ "

"Chloe! That's enough!" A firm hand gripped her shoulder from behind. The motion shook the hunter from her rage fueled rant. Chloe looked down at Kate. The blonde was crying so hard that she was heaving for breath. Kate was sitting, curled in on herself protectively with her arms around her legs. She sniffled and her whole body trembled as the tears ran down her face with no end in sight.

"I… I'm… Sorry… I'm so sorry… I didn't… I never meant to… This is all my fault… I just… I'm sorry…" Chloe felt a pang of guilt rise up but it was smothered just as quickly by the rage boiling in her veins.  _"She deserves this. This is her fault. I told Vic it would come to this one day if she kept on this path. Maybe this'll finally break through her head and show her the consequences of her actions…"_

"You've had your say. Now leave her be." She turned and locked eyes with Madsen. The Impact didn't look angry, just saddened. He understood the hunter's anger, the pain she felt. Madsen's tone became soft, fatherly. "Go and watch over Max." Chloe nodded and let her fists untangle themselves. She wiped away at her wet cheeks with numb fingers and sniffed before walking slowly past Warren. She trotted shakily up to the unconscious brunette and sat down cross-legged next to her. Max's face was deathly pale and her face felt cold to the touch. She was breathing, slowly and shallowly but at least she was still alive. For now. Tears once again welled up in her eyes and Chloe blinked hard to rid herself of them. It didn't work, they kept on coming.

"Please don't leave me… I don't know what I'd do without you." The hunter spoke under her breath softly. She held the unconscious brunette's hand, absentmindedly stroking it with her thumb. "I can't lose anyone else, especially not you…" She swallowed hard and wiped her tears away with her sleeve futilely. Chloe laid down on her side next to Max and rested her cheek on the woman's unwounded shoulder. Her head rose up and down slightly as the witch breathed in and out. "You'd hate what I just did. Kate was just talking about what happened and… I don't know. I couldn't help myself and I blew up on her. You know how my temper gets sometimes… She deserved it but I should've waited a day at least. Our group is fractured, Vic is still comatose. You…" She sniffed. "You don't look too good." She draped an arm over Max's stomach and let her eyes close. "I don't want to be left alone again…" Chloe didn't know if Max could hear her. She supposed it didn't really matter right now anyways.

The hunter stopped talking and just let her mind drift away to happier times. Bittersweet memories rolled over her. Of William showing her how to use a crossbow for the first time, smiling when she managed to hit the cans he'd lined up on the fence without missing a shot. Of Joyce cooking breakfast and gossiping of the weirdest patrons that frequented her tavern. Of a proud Frank sliding a bag of coins across the bar and sending her off to her first contract. Of Rachel winking at her mischievously from across the campfire's flames as she slid her dagger on a whetstone. She smiled as she remembered her first meeting with Max. Her anger, fear and apprehension at being faced with a witch melting away when she finally took a good look at the brunette's crystal blue eyes. The hunter snuggled closer to Max. The exhaustion clouding Chloe's body and mind made it hard to notice the uncomfortable ground she laid on. As time trickled by, the memories stopped coming and Chloe fell asleep.


	38. Elevate

The noise of a crackling fire was the first thing that greeted Chloe when she woke up. The hunter was still curled up comfortably next to the unconscious witch but her thoughts were accompanied by a deep sense of confusion as she glanced at the sky above.  _"How long have I been asleep?"_ The sky was still enveloped by darkness and the calm ambient sounds of the night reached her ears.  _"Can't be more than a couple hours…"_ She tried shifting onto her back but was forced to stifle a groan of pain. Her side and arms still ached. If anything, her wounds felt fresher than it had before she had succumbed to her exhaustion. Chloe took a deep breath and forced herself to a sitting position. She glanced at Max. The witch looked the same as she did earlier, pale and on the edge of death. The hunter tried her best to suppress the strong feeling of panic that scratched at her mind, demanding to be let loose. It wouldn't do her any good, there was nothing more the hunter could do for her friend. Chloe moved her arms towards her face and felt fabric brush against her hands. She looked down and noticed that someone had apparently thrown a black cloak over the two of them while they rested.  _"Victoria's cloak…"_

She looked towards the fire and let out a shaky breath prompted by relief. The short haired hunter that had been as good as dead a few hours ago was sitting on the ground, her back to a log and her feet extended towards the fire. Victoria looked tired but she still had an edge of alertness Chloe associated with a hunter being in enemy territory. Chloe carefully placed the cloak around Max and stood up. Her legs were very sore and she needed a good dozen seconds to steady herself. She had pushed her body hard in the fighting, the mad rush back to the camp had also been just as strenuous if not more. Victoria finally noticed movements from the corner of her eye. She turned her head towards Chloe and offered a sad smile. Chloe walked over and sat herself down next to her fellow hunter without a word. They both silently watched the fire's orange flames as they slowly enveloped more and more of the small stack of wood, turning it from dark brown to black. Victoria, still staring straight ahead, was the first to break the silence.

"Is she going to be alright?" Chloe took a long moment before answering.

"I don't know…" More silence.

"Kate told me you pushed to get me healed as quickly as possible. Thank you."

"You would've died if we waited any longer." Victoria didn't reply. Chloe thought to say something to lighten the dark overcast mood like a joke or a sarcastic jab but she found she couldn't think of any at the moment. The hunter didn't feel like laughing anyways. "I'm happy you pulled through. You looked bad. Really bad. Figure that shot from your metal fist caused some serious internal damage." Victoria reached a hand under her nose unconsciously where dried blood had streamed down from her nostrils and over her chin. Another trail had also dried down her the sides of her neck originating from her ears.

"I don't remember anything of what happened after the door to the Raven's tower opened… Nothing. It all a huge blank slate." Chloe looked at her.

"Doesn't surprise me much to be honest. You should be happy you managed to wake up without missing the last five years of your life." Victoria kept on staring at the fire. "You mentioned Kate… Where is she?" Chloe looked around the encampment. Her eyes fell on Madsen's sleeping form, Warren's wagon and Pompidou laying on his side near one of its wheels. Kate was nowhere to be seen.

"She left to go for a walk. I woke up about an hour and a half ago and found her crying alone by the fire. She didn't say much… Just that she needed some time on her own. I told her I'd stay awake and keep watch in case any soldiers made their way to our camp." Chloe shifted uncomfortably at that and Victoria turned her head with an eyebrow raised. "What happened to her?"

"We had an argument…" Chloe grimaced. "Less of an argument actually and more of me screaming at her until she broke down. It was deserved, don't get me wrong. She went too far. Screwed up everything we were trying to do and risked all our lives multiple times over. I don't regret it but… I could've been more tactful about the way I handled it. Madsen had to step in and stop me." Victoria face fell.

"I… I'm sorry Blue. That's on me. I thought she could handle it. I thought… It doesn't matter. I should've seen that she wasn't ready."

"I don't blame you Vic. It's hard to judge somebody's mental state,  _especially_  a friend's. You need to remember that I let her come along as well. I could've stepped in at any time and benched her. I didn't. Neither of us is to blame though. She's a grown woman,  _her_  actions and  _her_  decisions are what caused this." Victoria nodded slowly.

"Did he get away?" Victoria clearly already inferred the answer but Chloe confirmed it for her anyways.

"Yes." Chloe scowled and kicked angrily at a small pile of dirt next to her boots. "We were.  _So. Bloody. Close_." She met Victoria's gaze. "My bolt was inches from his face. Another second was all we needed to finish him off." The other hunter frowned.

"What? What do you mean inches from his face?"

"Right… Your memory. A man with orange eyes walked in a stopped my bolt in the air. He could move things with his mind… That's how, y'know…" Chloe gestured to Victoria metal fist with her head. "He made you take Madsen out of commission. Then he turned the weapon on you." Victoria exhaled furiously.

"Figures. And the Raven?"

"Ran away using that bloody belt like in Beorf. Bright light and then… Gone. The man who came in dispatched our whole team so bloody easily. He was a good fighter. Exceptionally good. Combine that with his ability and the fact that we weren't ready to face something like that…" Chloe trailed off.

"But you got away? So he's dead. Right?" Chloe shook her head.

"He let us go." Victoria's eyes widened in genuine surprise.

"What? Why?"

"I don't know. Something to do with Kate. She kept lashing out at him during the fight and placing herself in bad positions. He never struck her once, just kept on tripping the bloody woman or disarming her while he beat the living shit out of me."

"That's… odd." Victoria lost herself in thought. "Does she know him?"

"No. At least if she does… She doesn't remember it. Lord Senam, the general that owns Fireheart Castle, wanted to kill Kate but the man with orange eyes kept trying to come up with excuses to keep her alive. The lord finally agreed and asked Kate to help settle down Beorf's population for him." Victoria grinned.

"How'd that go for him?" Chloe cracked a smile as well.

"She spat in his face." Victoria stifled a laugh in the crook of her arm. Chloe's spirit was slowly starting to lift and the sight of Victoria laughing made her join in with a chuckle.

"I suppose he didn't like that?"

"Not one bit. He tried to kill her right then and there. The Raven's man killed three executioners and threw Lord Senam right off the bloody tower."

"Good riddance… One man less that we have to kill."

"Couldn't agree more. He untied Kate and told her to leave. He was going to kill the rest of us but Kate didn't budge. She forced his hand into helping us all leave. He killed a good dozen of the castle's men before letting us out the way we came in. That's the story. The parts you missed anyways."

"Sounds like a wild battle but I can't say I really understand it."

"Me neither. He had scars all over his face and neck though." Victoria frowned.

"Scars like…" Chloe nodded.

"They looked like what Bokeh did to Kate but much worse. There was a lot more of them and he was branded on the neck with the Raven's sigil."

"So you think he's being held prisoner? Maybe he let Kate go because she went through what he did." Chloe bit her lip.

"No. There's more to this than meets the eye. I asked him to join us and he said he would kill us all if he ever saw us again. If he was a prisoner, he'd have taken the offer wouldn't you think? We're missing an important piece of the puzzle where he's concerned."

"Sounds like he'd make a powerful ally if we could convince him to join us."

"Out of the question, it's simply not worth the risk. He's too strong to keep alive and gamble on his loyalties, whatever they may be."

"So what's your solution then? We add him to the list?"

"Yes. The next time I see him, it'll be from a safe distance in my crossbow's sights. We can't have him at the High Lord's side. Or any of his general's side either, especially not the Raven. Imagine if he'd have been healthy Vic… That duo could have crushed us all without breaking a sweat."

"So we accomplished next to nothing then. We got rid of one of Prescott's generals and found an even stronger enemy. We'll never get our hands on the Raven now either. He didn't think we were coming for him. Now he knows that we haven't fled, that were hunting the generals down one by one. He'll be on his guard now."

"Agreed. The Raven will have to be one of the last ones we take down. This was our last good shot at him." Victoria crossed her legs and turned to her.

"So what's the plan then? What do we do next?" Chloe's eyes flickered to Max's unconscious form wrapped in Victoria's black cloak. She swallowed hard.

"If…  _When…_  Max heals up, she can decide on our next move." She felt a hand grip her right arm lightly and turned her attention back to Victoria. The hunter was looking at her with a firm, impassive stare.

"I know this isn't my place to say but… You should tell her how you feel." Chloe removed her arm and leaned back down on the log, staring at the fire.

"You think I haven't thought of doing that Vic? I've wanted to say something to her since we got to Frauy."

"Then why haven't you?"

"Because we're all going to die." She met the woman's green eyes. "You know it as well as I do Vic. All we're doing is delaying the inevitable. We're up against insurmountable odds and the fact that we even made it this far is beyond ridiculous. One by one… Or all at once, we will fall. We're like soldiers whose army is surrounded on the battlefield. They know they can't win, they know they can't retreat. All they can hope for, is to cause as much damage to their enemy before they all die."

"A grim comparison…"

"But an apt one. You can't really tell me you think we have a shot at this. Tonight just proves that we're on borrowed time. I won't back down from our mission but I have no grand illusions about victory. I knew what I was getting myself into from the start." Victoria sighed and furrowed her brow.

"You know what I think..? I think that's just a convenient excuse that you tell yourself because…" Chloe sniffed derisively.

"An excuse? What the bloody hell do you know about what I'm thinking?" Victoria brushed aside her comment and kept on.

"Because you're afraid of reliving what happened with your old partner." Chloe stopped what she was about to say in her tracks. She blinked hard and turned her gaze away to the tree line.

"Don't bring her into this…" Her voice was strained.

"I don't say it to dredge up bad memories Chloe." Victoria paused for a long moment, carefully choosing her words. "Journey before destination." Chloe looked back at the other hunter. "My mother told me to always hold dear to those words. It took me far too long to understand what she meant by them. We all die sometime Chloe. It's  _not_  about the finish line. It's about the people you interacted with along the way and the things you experienced on the way there. Even with what happened to Rachel, do you really regret falling in love with her? Simply because if you hadn't, it would've make losing her easier to bear?"

"I…" She had been about to say yes. That was a lie. Even after the spiral of depression and self-destructive behavior she'd gone through, after all the dark thoughts and endless nights spent drunk on taverns floors, crying herself to sleep, wishing she could forget… She cherished those memories of Rachel. A couple of silent tears leaked from her eyes, she held her arms around her stomach protectively. "Losing her just  _hurt_ so much… so  _bloody_  much." Victoria leaned in and hugged her awkwardly with her right arm.

"Don't let what happened to her control your life. Just… do what feels right." Chloe wiped her cheek and looked up to the dark sky. She shuddered as she exhale loudly and cracked a smile.

"Bloody hell Vic. You sure love trying to fix all my problems, don't you?" Victoria smirked and sat back down with her back to the log.

"Hunters have to stick together, right?" The two hunters both relaxed while staring at the fire, unwinding from the taxing conversation they'd just had.

"Do you have a last name?" Victoria blinked in confusion and stared at Chloe dumbfounded.

"What?"

"It just came to me that I know next to nothing about you. Hell… I don't even know you're last name, where you grew up, if you have family…" Victoria grinned mischievously.

"Does it matter?"

"Not really but call it professional curiosity if you will. I'd like to know how you became a hunter. Anyways, we're friends and you know all about  _my_  past. This'll put us on even footing." Victoria bit her lip in thought.

"To be honest, I didn't really realize it. I wasn't trying to hide my past, the subject just never came up. My whole hunter persona was based around secrecy, I guess it's just ingrained in me at this point." She shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"Last name?" Victoria snorted in amusement.

"Really care about that don't you?" she mumbled under her breath. "If you must know, it's Chase." Chloe hmmed in thought and Victoria's eyes widened indignantly. "What the hell does that mean? What's wrong with my last name?"

"A bit disappointed. Thought it'd be fancier."

"It's better than Price!" Chloe cocked an eyebrow.

"Now you're just lying to yourself." Victoria huffed in amusement and smacked her leg. Chloe laughed. Madsen shifted in the distance and she smothered her laughter to a more appropriate tone. She calmed down after an exasperated eye roll from her fellow hunter.

"Siblings?

"None."

"Grandparents?"

"Never knew them."

"Aunts, uncles?"

"Same as the last."

"Geez. Your mother?" Victoria hesitated, her mirth dying down quickly.

"Dead." Chloe frowned.

"Bloody hell. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It happened when I was seven. Those scars healed a long time ago."

"Now I hesitate to ask. What about your father?"

"I killed him." Chloe didn't know how to respond so she stayed silent, prompting Victoria on. "I only knew my mom growing up, never had contact or knew anybody else in my family. I didn't need anyone else anyways. Then, the day after I turned seven, she was murdered in front of me." Victoria didn't seem fazed by her own words, she went back to being relaxed and spoke softly with a hint of melancholy. "I remember a couple of thugs coming into our small house, knocking things over and making lots of noises. When my mom starting to scream for help, I went and hid in the closet of my room. The men dragged her in and asked where I was. She told them she had given me up to a friend and that I was long gone. They didn't even bother to check the house, they just took her at her word and cracked her over the head with a cudgel."

"That's… Horrible." Chloe hadn't expected to hear a story like this and she was finding it hard to find appropriate words. Victoria didn't seem to notice.

"I remember trying to wake her up. Like I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that she was dead. I cried there next to her body for hours until someone opened the door. I grabbed a piece of cracked porcelain and held it up to the man like you would a weapon while shaking like a leaf in terror." She chuckled morbidly. "He was a retired hunter that had heard me wailing while passing by the road next to my house. Can't imagine what would've happened to me without him. He was an old man with a kind heart. He took me in after hearing what happened and we travelled across the border to set up a new life for me."

"Border? Which one?"

"Aledar's."

"You were born in the east?" Victoria nodded.

"Spent the rest of my life on this side of it though. He's the reason I became a hunter. Showed me the ropes on how to defend myself in case I needed it. When it was clear I was going to follow in his footsteps, he showed me how to sneak around and kill others effectively." Chloe gaped.

"He showed a seven year old how to kill other people?" Victoria chuckled.

"I was around thirteen at that time Blue. A bit on the early side but I doubt you started any later." Chloe shrugged uncomfortably. William had trained her on the crossbow from a young age but that was different. He hadn't been meaning for Chloe to use those skills to harm others. She hadn't had her first kill until much later on.

"I didn't go on any contracts until I turned seventeen but by then I was good, really good, and prepared for my new life. I just lacked experience. He died later that year from a weak heart. I buried him myself. I like to think I've made him proud, he's the reason I became such a successful hunter."

"You said you killed your father though. Where the hell was he in this story? You said you didn't know anyone else growing up." Victoria smiled darkly, her eyes shone with deep hatred.

"I found one of the men responsible for killing my mother at a tavern when I travelled back east on a contract. I never forgot his face, after almost thirteen years I could still picture it. As detailed as any painting by a great artist. He told me what I wanted after some… persuasive arguments. Turns out, the Queen's sister, Delana, had a husband who cheated on her constantly. Instead of taking her anger out on him, she would track down any of his mistresses and kill them via her own personal hit squad. My mother managed to escape notice for years but when she finally settled down, they found her and killed her."

"How would she even find out about her?"

"The man would brag about his latest conquest in his wife's face. He knew what would happen. It was a game to them. I tracked him down while he was on the prowl for another woman." Victoria ran a hand through her hair. "I cornered him and told him exactly why I was going to kill him. Everything he'd done. How he'd ruined my life and killed my mother. You know what he did? He laughed in my face. I buried my dagger up to its hilt in his throat." She looked at Chloe's stunned expression and let out a small smile.

"You wanted my life story right? Don't tell me you expected a light hearted tale. People don't become hunters because they've had it good. We're killers, it takes a special kind of people to choose our calling."

"You don't seem too troubled by what happened." Victoria stroked her metal fist unconsciously.

"I made my peace with it a long time ago Chloe. My only regret is that I spent the majority of my life alone, training to become a killer instead of living a proper life. No lovers, no friends. I didn't want to lose anyone else so I never gave myself a chance to let people in. It took me too long to realize I was wrong. Max and Kate helped me understand when they found me bleeding out in Beorf all those months ago." She turned the metal fist on and off, crackling electricity could be heard faintly as she did. "Journey before destination" she murmured. Chloe glanced over to Max.

The noise of a cracking branch to her right made the hunter's head swivel in the direction. Kate was trying to reenter the camp discreetly. The blonde woman met Chloe's eyes and looked away to the ground. Her eyes were red and puffy, she looked as if she'd been crying for a long period of time. Kate brushed a hand through her messy hair before moving on silently towards her sleeping space near Warren's wagon. She didn't look back at either hunters. Victoria turned her head to look at Chloe. She spoke softly so as not to attract Kate's attention.

"What you did may have been right and whatever you said may have been exactly what she needed to hear but…"

"I know… She's still a friend and a part of our group. I'll talk to her tomorrow Vic. We have a lot to talk about and I don't think I have enough strength to go through another emotional conversation tonight." Victoria smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." Her gaze flickered for an instant past Chloe's head and she stood up with a broad smirk. "Seems like it's time to get some sleep anyways. I don't think the soldiers will be making their way here if they haven't already. You should go ask Max if she needs help getting water. I don't think she'll be able to reach the gourd." With that, she kicked dirt over the small fire, dousing the flames and drenching the encampment in darkness. Chloe spun around in time to spot Max sitting up with a hand on the ground offering her some support. Her other hand was on her forehead, over the wound she had acquired. The small brunette was looking over towards Chloe's bag, it was just out of reach. The hunter sprinted over and fell to her knees carelessly next to Max, hugging her tightly while avoiding her wounded shoulder. She almost bowled the two of them to the floor but managed to steady herself at the last moment.

"Max! You're safe... You're alright…"

"Chloe… You're going to smother me to death if you don't ease up a bit." Chloe let go instantly, shuffling back a step and looking over the brunette's injuries with concern. Max was smiling broadly with unrestrained amusement in the faint moonlight. Her eyes were strained and she seemed extremely tired but otherwise well. "I didn't say to stop, just not to squeeze me so bloody hard. I'm pretty sure I almost died." The witch face fell as she got a better look at Chloe. The hunter felt a few tears well up in her eyes against her will. "Chloe? What's wrong?" Her voice was soft but urgent. "Are you alright?" The hunter shook her head.

"I'm fine… I just… I thought… You were going to… to…" Max struggled closer and embraced her.

"It's okay Chloe. I'm fine. They'll have to try harder than that to take me down." It was said in a joking tone but it sent a sharp stab through the hunter's heart.

"Don't joke about that." She could hear the strain in her own voice, the raw emotion that came through. She closed her eyes and swayed the both of them side to side, trying to calm herself. "You're forbidden to get hurt like that again." Max chuckled and separated herself from Chloe, she winced as she placed her left hand on the ground behind her. Her good humor didn't go away though, Max was still smiling warmly.

"Forbidden?" Chloe laughed. She knew she was emotionally drained, her body and mind were exhausted beyond belief. But somehow, the sight of Max smiling in front of her made her forget all her troubles. The hunter smiled back, she wiped a sleeve over her eyes to dry them.

"Bloody right you are." She shuffled closer to her bag and reached for the water gourd attached to its side. She came back and offered it to Max who opened it gratefully and drank half its content. Chloe dropped to the ground on her back roughly. The pain in her arms and side completely forgotten for the moment. She grinned up at the sky like a fool and closed her eyes. A deep sense of relief overtook her and she exhaled loudly. Her voice came out softly. "I won't stand for it. You're never allowed to leave me." Chloe opened her eyes a moment later and her breathing hitched at the sudden proximity. Max had put the gourd down and was now hovering over the hunter, her good arm placed sturdily next to Chloe's head.

"Never?" Max was still smiling. Chloe's eyes instinctively flickered down to the brunette's lips. They were separated by mere inches. She tried to find a witty reply but was finding it hard to come up with a coherent response. It was getting difficult to think. Max's crystal blue eyes enthralled her even in this darkness. She could feel the woman's warm breath on her face. The hunter didn't reply.

Max moved slowly through the last two inches separating the two of them and their lips finally met. Chloe's mind went blank as she took a moment to process what was happening. Then she closed her eyes and tentatively pressed back, losing herself into the kiss. It was everything she'd wanted and more. The hunter had no idea how long it had lasted when they finally separated, each breathing a bit more heavily. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Max grinned and lowered herself carefully onto her good side, next to Chloe.

"I've wanted to do that for the longest time." Max's whispered admission made the hunter's heart flutter. Chloe closed the distance once more and initiated another, deeper kiss. This time, it was more intense, more passionate. They finally broke apart, both short of breath. Max leaned her head onto the hunter's shoulder and closed her eyes in almost the same position that Chloe had taken up hours ago. She sighed happily and nudged herself closer.

"Damn… Always thought I'd be the one to make the first move." Max chuckled and shifted slightly to get more comfortable.

"I was hoping for you to make it. But after what happened tonight… I didn't want to wait any longer." The brunette's voice was starting to drag, she was still drained of energy. That much was evidenced when Max fell asleep contentedly after less than half a minute of silence. It took far longer for Chloe to succumb to her now missing exhaustion. The blue-scarred hunter laid still on her back, looking at the night stars with a small smile as her mind replayed what just transpired on a loop. For the first time in a very long time, she found herself looking forward to what the future held in store.


	39. A New Day

"Food's ready."

A soft pressure on her shoulder from Victoria's boot nudged Chloe awake. She opened her eyes and her eyes took a few blurry moments to focus on the face staring back down at her. The sun was shining brightly in the sky above. It was far past early morning, maybe even a bit past noon.

"What the hell? Leave me alone…" Her voice came out softly as she closed her eyes once more. The action only served to have the boot connect with her shoulder a bit harder and with more insistence.

"Get up Blue. If you sleep any later, you'll be wired all bloody night. I'd also like to get away as far as possible from this castle to avoid further problems and that means leaving quickly. So either you get up of your own volition or I drag your tired ass towards the campfire. Choose wisely." With that, Victoria turned around and walked away.

Chloe grumbled her discontentment and opened her eyes for a second time. She still felt tired but Victoria was right. They shouldn't press their luck and stay in the area. Lord Senam had been killed and it was only a matter of time until his soldiers decided to investigate further. She wouldn't place all her trust in the orange eyed man's word, regardless of his assurances that he wouldn't track them down. Chloe made to sit up but felt a weight on her other shoulder, keeping her down. She glanced over and her tiredness seemed to evaporate. She smiled warmly as memories flooded back into her all at once. Max was still sleeping soundly, curled up against Chloe. The brunette's breathing was soft and deep, she clearly had managed to avoid being disturbed by Victoria. Even with the dried blood and cloth bandage covering part of her forehead, she still looked absolutely stunning. The hunter just laid there for a few minutes, staring at her freckled face, lost in thought. She eventually got her hand up and gently shook Max awake. She would've gladly left the witch to her rest but it would be impossible to pry herself away without disturbing her anyways.

"Max…" Max's eyes fluttered open, blinking the sleep away. The small brunette yawned and somehow managed to press herself even closer. Chloe couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey…" She locked eyes with Chloe and frowned sleepily. As if a switch was suddenly flicked in Max's head, the witch's eyes widened a touch and her cheeks reddened. That only served to make Chloe laugh even harder. Max buried her face in the hunter's shoulder.

"Copper coin for your thoughts?"

"Shut up… You know damn well what's on my mind." Max lifted her head back up. Despite the words, she was grinning broadly. Chloe feigned ignorance, frowning towards the sky.

"My memory is a little foggy in the morning. Care to give me a reminder?" Max cocked an eyebrow, her blue eyes shining with amusement.

"You think you're real smooth, don't you?"

"I suppose that hangs on whether or not it works." Max moved closer and kissed the hunter. Chloe's hands instinctively moved to the other woman's waist to steady her. They separated after a few moments, both smiling at the other. "A hunter and a witch. Who would've seen that coming?" Max laughed. The witch moved herself to a sitting position carefully, wincing when her wounded arm touched something by accident.

"Certainly isn't all that common."

"Common? Try closer to non-existent." Chloe sat up and stretched her sore legs, prompting a pained groan. Her side was still very tender her but her arms were thankfully more numb than painful. She lifted the sleeves of her shirt and grimaced. Blue and purple bruises covered the sides of her forearms where she had taken hard hits from the quarterstaff. She raised the side of her shirt next and scowled at the large purple mass next to her ribs. It was at least two hand spans long. Max frowned and moved her hand closer before Chloe pulled away. "No. No healing anyone for a couple days."

"What? That's foolish Chloe. You're in pain." Chloe grabbed Max's insistent hand and lowered it. She stared directly in the other woman's blue eyes.

"You were barely conscious for a long time and your body needs all the energy it can to heal itself. If you can look at me and truthfully say that you can spare some of that energy to heal us then fine. But otherwise…" Max looked away. "That's what I thought." She made her voice softer. "I'm only looking out for you Max. I don't want to accidentally trigger some sort of relapse. You're too weak right now. It's just a few bruises, I'll manage to tough it out for a couple of days. It's nothing I haven't lived with before." Max nodded.

"I just don't like the idea of you being in pain." Chloe placed an arm around the brunette's shoulders, trying to steer clear of applying too much pressure to the left one. She chuckled.

"You didn't seem to mind too much when you let me ride to Draqt with a six inch cut in my left side." Max smirked and pushed herself away.

"If you hadn't been so bloody stubborn, I would've healed you right away. Even Victoria broke down after a short while. You refused for  _hours_. I still can't believe how mule-headed you get sometimes." Chloe stood up and helped Max stand on her feet. It turned out to be a really good call since the witch almost instantly lost balance and had her legs give out from under her.

"Max… Just how bloody weak are you right now?" Chloe supported her with her arms as the witch tried to get her legs steady. Max tried to give the hunter a reassuring smile but it came out strained.

"Healing Victoria took a lot out of me."

"Clearly but how are you feeling now? Tell me the truth." Max shrugged and looked away. Chloe grabbed her bag of bolts from the ground, there was something inside she needed to inspect more closely. The pair made their way towards Warren's wagon, past the trees that covered their section of the camp.

"It's probably better for me to not have to use my powers for a few days. Maybe a week." Chloe maneuvered them past branches and broke out on the other side of the campfire Victoria had setup. They could've walked the easy path around instead of traversing the small patch of forest that led directly to the rest of the group but Chloe didn't want to stretch the small walk. It was already getting somewhat difficult for her to support Max. The woman was barely standing up straight and Chloe's legs were still very sore.

"Well don't you worry about anything. I'll be on your beck and call for the week. If you need anything, just ask." Max smiled back at her warmly.

"Thank you."

"This is the second and last time I ask nicely! Get up!" Chloe glanced at Victoria who picked up a fist sized rock off the ground and threw it against the tinkerer's nomadic wagon. It connected with a loud crack which prompted an unintelligible shout from inside. Victoria smiled in satisfaction. The fire in front of her was small but it served its purpose well. A standing metal grate had been placed over it to allow the short haired hunter to cook their meal over its flames. Chloe raised an eyebrow and the other hunter nodded towards a couple of wooden plates balanced next to a log. They were filled to the brim with eggs, ham and dried fruits.

"You went all out on this breakfast" Chloe pointed out.

"We almost died yesterday. Figure we owe it to ourselves to eat as much as we want." Chloe carefully helped Max lower herself down on the ground, back to the large log, before sitting at her left. Madsen was already awake and eating his food, the Impact was sitting down next to Victoria. He looked about as bad as Chloe felt. A bloody bandage covered his forehead and his leg, he kept moving slightly and grimacing.

"Good to see you up and about Max. We were all worried about you." Madsen spoke to her as he grabbed a water gourd from the ground and threw it at Chloe. The hunter caught it in one hand. She smiled appreciatively before grabbing a clean cloth, wetting it and wiping her face clean. She passed it on to Max once finished.

"How are you feeling?" Victoria asked the question as she munched on a particularly tough piece of meat.

"Tired and my shoulder hurts really badly. My head's fine though, just a mild headache." The brunette's voice was somewhat muffled as she cleaned her face of dried blood. She threw the cloth to the side and glanced at the plate next to Chloe. The hunter passed her the food and they both began eating in silence. The yellow wagon's door creaked open and Warren stepped out into the camp. He yawned broadly and looked up at the sky with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun's rays. The tinkerer walked over and sat on a flat protruding rock at Victoria left. He looked energized and healthy. It was clear he hadn't taken part in the fighting last night.

"Good morning all." Victoria scooped a couple eggs from the dark old pan resting on the metal grate and fixed him a plate. Max, surprisingly, polished off the last of her own breakfast and set it aside with her utensils.

"What the hell did you do with all your food Max? Did you even taste any of it before you inhaled it?" Chloe looked at the witch with a stunned expression. She hadn't even managed to go through half of hers. Max simply smiled and patted her stomach.

"I was hungry."

"Clearly." Chloe rolled her eyes playfully as she saw Max eyeing the plate she held. The witch looked at her with a pleading expression that turned into a very satisfied smile when Chloe passed her the rest of her food. She hadn't been that hungry anyways.

"Thank you." Max shuffled over and leaned her head on the hunter's shoulder as she started to chew through a small pile of dried apricots.

"Don't worry about it." Chloe looked back up to the group. The two men were busy in their own conversations about the events that transpired yesterday. Warren was absorbing the story with intense concentration. Victoria, on the other hand, was eyeing the two of them with a thoughtful smirk. Chloe looked around the encampment. "Where's Kate?" Victoria's smile vanished and she pointed further back. The hunter finally got a glimpse of blonde hair behind the tinkerer's wagon.

"She didn't want to come and eat with the rest of us." Max frowned.

"What? Why?" Chloe looked at Victoria and got up to her feet. She didn't bother to answer the witch's question. The short haired hunter could tell her what happened if she was so inclined.

"I'll be back in a few." Max was still frowning in confusion but Victoria only nodded. She departed towards the wagon and peeked behind it. Kate looked up from where she was sitting and petting Pompidou. The war hound was still laying on its side with small swollen bruises next to its ribs. Kate looked tired, too tired. Chloe found herself wondering if the woman had actually managed to get any sleep last night.

"Hey…" Kate glanced back down to the injured dog, her voice was soft and strained. Chloe sat down cross legged next to her. She fiddled with her hands for a few long awkward moments before deciding on how to proceed. The hunter cleared her throat to get the blonde's attention.

"Kate… I want to apologi…" She was cut off almost instantly.

"Don't. What you said was true. All of it." Kate still didn't look her in the eyes, instead focusing on petting Pompidou's head slowly.

"That's still no excuse for the way I blew up on you. I should've waited until a better time, when things sett…" Kate huffed angrily.

"Stop. Just stop. I screwed up everything. Got all of us almost killed." She met Chloe's eyes. "You had every right to blow up on me." Her expression was a mix of anger and exhaustion. Her tone saddened. "Chloe… I'm not mad at you. I'm angry at myself. I'm pissed it took having you yelling at me to realize how broken I've become. I'm a bloody threat to the only people who want to help me."

"You're not broken."

"Aren't I?" Kate grimaced. "You don't have to sugarcoat it Chloe. I see the way the group looks at me since Beorf. Like an injured puppy who needs to be watched and protected at every moment. I resented that so much. It made me so  _bloody_  angry that everyone thought of me that way. That everyone felt the need to talk behind my back, asking if I was alright in the head. I thought I needed to prove it to myself and all of you that you were all wrong." Kate's eyes watered. "And what did I do? I did exactly what you all worried I would do. I screwed everything up. I let myself down. When you were screaming at me yesterday, it just sunk in. I'm broken, there's something wrong with me…"

"Kate there's nothing…"

"Yes there is!" Chloe opened her mouth to reply but Kate kept going, arms hugging herself. "I can't sleep at night Chloe. I get nightmares almost every night of what happened to me. Sometimes I'm back there. I'm strapped to the chair, screaming as Bokeh uses his knives to slice my face, neck, body… I can feel the blades carving my flesh and sometimes… Sometimes I just want them to dig deeper. To sever something vital, to make the pain go away…" The blonde shuddered. "Sometimes it's my family, accusing me of not being strong enough to save them. I see their glares as they're executed one after the other, wondering why I get to live as they all die. They all feel so real. I wake up terrified, with tears running down my face."

"I didn't know it was that bad."

"I told Vic not to let the rest of you know. She's been trying to help me get through it. She said it would fade after a while but it just won't go away. I can't rest at night. I can't rest during the day, my mind keeps haunting me with the memories.  _I just can't escape it."_  She voiced the last with a desperate, pained cry. "I just want it to go away. The only way I can focus and not break down is by giving way to the anger. I channel everything into it, I just think of what I'll do when I get my hands on him. It's the only thing that keeps me sane."

"Kate. That's not the way you should be dealing with this. That anger, it just covers the problem temporarily. You think it'll go away when you kill him? It won't. Trust me, I know."

"How do you know? You have no idea about what I'm going through!" Kate angrily slammed her fist into the wagon. "Nobody knows how it felt. I was trapped, tortured. My family slaughtered in front of me!"

"Look… You're right. I don't know about that. I've never been in that position and I hope to whatever god is up there, that I'll never experience what you have. I doubt I'd get out of it half as strong as you did Kate. But I do know about hiding behind anger to avoid coping with something. When my old partner died, I got so angry. I hunted down the witch responsible for days, my mind was all on that task. I let the rage push me and I found her. And when I did, I hurt her. I made her last moments alive as worse as I could manage. It wasn't for some righteous cause… I did it for revenge. I did it because I was angry."

"Did it help?" The woman's voice was pleading, as if she needed to hear that it did. That something could ease her burden.

"No. Of course it didn't. All it did was remove the target of my rage. I couldn't cope with what happened and now I didn't have someone I could blame or hunt down. I tried everything I could to make the feelings go away. I took on increasingly difficult contracts, I became brasher, I started to care less about my safety, I took more risks… I had nightmares just like you Kate. I couldn't escape it when I was sleeping. So I tried to escape the memories by getting drunk. I began to drink myself stupid every night. I poisoned my body to the point that I couldn't stand or even talk. I'd pass out on the floor of a tavern and get dragged into my bed by whoever was kind enough to give a shit. I'd wake up sick in the morning but I'd tell myself that it was worth it because at least I didn't have to face what happened. It's not a healthy way to live Kate. That path would've brought me to my death, either by a bad decision on a contract or given enough time… By my own hand." Kate clenched her fist in front of herself.

"How..? How did you make it go away? Please… I need to know…"

"I stopped running away from it. I confided in Max and Victoria. I let them  _help_  me. I know it's difficult to talk to people about it. It sucks. It brings the pain back. The memories assault you. But talking about it helps, even if you don't think it will. After a time, the memories and nightmares do fade. They don't go away, not fully, not ever. But they  _will_  fade. Just… Let someone else in. Bottling it all up just increases the pressure until you eventually blow up. What happened yesterday is a prime example of that Kate. You scared me out there. You wouldn't listen to reason, you refused to see sense. You ran into fights without a care for your own safety or ours. I know you're better than this. You're a good fighter, a good friend. You  _aren't_  broken. You just need to let us help you." Kate closed her eyes and laid her head against the wagon.

"I'm scared of how they'll look at me after. Everyone already thinks I've lost my mind but they'll know for sure if I talk about it." Chloe reached out a hand and rested comfortingly on Kate's leg.

"You think the rest of us are all perfect Kate? I have so many problems that I can barely count them. Victoria and Max are constantly helping me deal with them. And Madsen? He's broken in his own way Kate. He never had a family, he was turned into a merciless soldier at young age. He's fighting with all he's got because he's dead at the end of this regardless of whether or not we win. Max? Her family turned against her, she's been kicked over and over and lost everyone she cares about. She can't settle down and she lives in fear of letting people discover who she really is. Victoria grew up completely alone, she has so many regrets and the sad part of it is that she'll most likely never get the chance to fix those. Warren… Well… He's probably the sanest of all of us Kate. But the point is that we all have our issues. Nobody here will look down on you for admitting that you have your own. Hell… You probably have the best reason to be as messed up as the rest of us." It seemed like the right thing to say. Kate opened her eyes and wiped a hand over her nose, she was still sniffling but the crying had stopped.

"I'm so sorry Chloe. For everything that happened. For risking all our lives." The hunter softened her tone to a more reassuring one.

"I know you are Kate. We've got time before we engage our enemies again so… Just take the opportunity to talk to us about what's going on in your head. I know I'm not the most approachable person, I'm not as close to you as Madsen, Max or Vic… But if you need someone to talk to. I  _will_ listen." Kate moved closer and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. Come on. Let's go join up with the rest of the group." Kate nodded slowly. They both got up and brushed themselves off before heading towards the fire. Victoria and Max both looked at the two of them. Their eyes glued to Kate. Chloe supposed that the blonde's disheveled appearance was the reason for that. Chloe sat down next to Max and Kate next to Victoria. Warren and Madsen were still speaking about Fireheart Castle.

"Kate… Are you alright?" Max posed the question gently.

"I'm feeling better right now." The blonde smiled but it didn't look very convincing. The witch was clearly unsure how to take that answer but she seemed satisfied to leave it as it stood. Chloe reached for the bag of bolts she'd dropped off earlier and opened the side pocket. She felt inside and removed a small stack of papers. She had taken them during the raid on Fireheart Castle but hadn't had the chance to look them over properly during the ensuing chaos. Warren finally snapped out of the conversation long enough to look at her.

"What are those?" Chloe frowned and tried reading the papers. It was of no use. Back when she first looked the papers over, she had thought them indiscernible. That was wrong, they were just written in a language she didn't understand. The lines were made of various detailed glyphs, the only thing she could decipher on any of the pages was the same two names as before. Hev and Dana. The latter was the one writing the notes as evidenced by her name being on the bottom. The former was the recipient, his name was sitting at the top. None varied away from that structure, it was odd to say the least. She looked at Max who simply shrugged, the witch didn't understand it any more than she did.

"I took these from a storage room in the castle's bottom floor. It was guarded by two executioners and locked in a chest." She waved the papers towards him and he took them carefully. "I don't understand them but they must be important. I can't see the Raven guarding a stack of papers for no reason. Can you read it?" He shook his head and passed them to Kate, Victoria looked over the papers at the same time. Neither said anything as they passed it towards Madsen. He looked the papers over and pointed at some glyphs at the bottom of the pages, next to Dana's name.

"Those are dates. I don't know what they say but I've seen similar glyphs before."

"You've seen these before?" Max raised an eyebrow intently as she asked her question. "Where?" The Impact rubbed his moustache.

"When I stood guard for the Queen. We had a delegation come from our northern border and visit, asking for aid in taking back their city from invaders. They had papers with glyphs like these. I remember only the ones that represented numbers since they look more out of place than the letters, they have sharper edges and more swirls near the corners. I only interacted with their party once. They were an odd people. The guards of honor didn't carry swords like regular guards, instead they had long spears as weapons. Another Impact I knew said that their country is in disarray constantly. They aren't governed by a monarchy or patriarchy, their largest cities are under the command of whoever kills the previous lord." Victoria's eyes widened.

"That's an interesting way of deciding a leader." Madsen laughed at her comment.

"I'd say. Apparently it doesn't matter which station you are. Even a homeless peasant can challenge a lord to a duel to the death, as long as he waits the allotted time period and can pay the fee." He passed the papers to Max who placed them back in Chloe's bolt bag. "Over there, fighting with weapons is the norm. Every man, woman and child learns to kill from a young age. It's practically a requirement since all the cities are always at war with one another. They invade each other's territory and the city folk are expected to take up arms to defend their city along with the soldiers. Like I said, an odd people. Very dangerous too."

"What happened to the delegation that you met?" Kate asked with interest.

"They were turned away and sent back across the border. The Queen didn't want to take a side in their squabbles. If she supported one, she would be taking a stance in how their country should be ruled. That could've led to all the other cities banding together and attacking first the lord who asked for help, then our own cities. We could defend ourselves of course." Madsen unconsciously stood up a bit straighter. "Our armies are powerful and the royal family has quite a lot of Impacts on hand. But the fighting would be unnecessary."

"They don't have Impacts of their own?" Warren thumbed a button on his jacket as he spoke.

"No. But they do have very skilled independent fighters, called  _Jeks_ , which serve lords for a price. Those are unique to their country. Imagine a cross between one of our best hunters and a royal guard. If the lord is challenged to a duel, he can choose to have his Jek fight in his place. That's why most common folk don't challenge lords constantly in order to take over a city. Jeks are by all accounts, incredible fighters. They are vicious and lethal like none other. That's what I've heard anyways, like I said… I've never encountered one personally." Chloe huffed in irritation.

"That's all nice information but it doesn't help us with these notes. If it was written in a language of a people two borders away, then how is the Raven involved? Who's Dana? Who's Hev? Why was he guarding what looks like correspondence between two people who don't even speak his language?" Madsen shrugged.

"Couldn't tell you. Maybe we could find someone to translate the glyphs. There has to be someone out there who can read these." Chloe pondered the words for a moment.

"I suppose that's all we can really hope for." She glanced at Max. "What do we do next?" Max's mouth dropped open in stunned silence.

"I… I guess I don't really know what to do next. The Raven is off the table and we don't know where any of Prescott's generals are located."

"That's not actually true." Everyone turned to Warren. The tinkerer smiled broadly and gestured towards Madsen. "I gave Madsen a device before you all rushed to attack Fireheart Castle. Actually, it's not really a device  _per se_ , rather a…"

"Get to the point." Victoria cut him off sharply. "What did you two do?"

"As I was  _saying_ …" He glared at Victoria. "I gave Madsen a small cylindrical container with strong adhesive on its outside. It contains a small mineral gem that emits a harmless type of radiation. I can use a compass with another similar gem to track the other. They are attracted to each other so it'll lead us straight to the closest gem of similar attributes." Chloe gaped at them both.

"Why didn't you let us in on this plan?"

"I didn't have time. You all rushed in and said you had to leave on the instant. I barely had time to tell Max how to use my breaching device before you all took off." He passed a hand in his choppy hair uncomfortably. "Also… I wasn't sure if it would work. I just said that it leads to the closest gem of similar attributes. If we placed it on someone and they managed to get further than another one of those minerals, we'd end up going the wrong way. We could go straight to a bloody mine or towards a piece of a gem inside of a hill. This was more of a last ditch effort and I was only going to use it as a stepping stone to figure out if there was a better method at making a tracking device of some sort. I didn't actually think we would use it for anything important, it was supposed to be an experiment."

"Well… Did you put it on someone?" Chloe directed the question at the Impact who frowned.

"Of course not. You think some poor sap wouldn't realize he had a small metal cylinder attached to his bloody leg? Anyways… When would I have gotten the chance to do so? No. I didn't attach it to anyone but I did place it somewhere it's less likely to be noticed."

"Where?"

"The Raven Knight's helmet. I got hit with it during the fight and Max told me it was made of rare metal that could reflect magic. I figured if they were going to join back up with him, they wouldn't leave something that precious behind. So I stuck it on the inside close to the left eye slit. I doubt they'll bother checking it."

"So we can track his right hand man?" Warren sighed.

"I don't know Chloe. It's possible they could just leave the helmet behind. Or maybe one of his executioners takes it and goes to Arcadia. Or the man who defeated you takes it with him in an entirely different direction. Or maybe it's not even the closest gem of similar attributes and we end up heading the complete wrong way. There are too many variables, too many things that could go wrong, for me to tell you that it'll work." The group stayed silent for a few long moments before Max finally spoke up.

"The most likely outcome  _if_  it works, is that the Raven's man takes the helmet with him wherever he goes. Maybe he goes back to meet up with him, maybe he doesn't… But chances are that he's the one that'll have it."

"So we could use it to track him and kill him at least. That would take an enemy out of the battle. He's already stated that he'll kill us if he sees us again. We should strike out at him first." Max nodded at Chloe's words.

"It's probably the safest approach. The rest of the generals will have armies and men protecting them. I doubt he'll have the same. We also don't need to engage him like we did last time. Chloe can shoot him from a hundred yards away. Clean and easy."

"He let us go…" Kate spoke softly. "It's not right to go back and kill him after he let us all live."

"What would you have us do? We're going to fight him eventually. Why not let it be on our own terms? This is for the best Kate." Kate just frowned sadly at Chloe.

"I know… It just doesn't feel  _right_." Victoria looked up at the sky and stood up. She looked over to Warren.

"Well. It looks like we don't have any better options. Can you get that compass set up quickly?"

"I guess…"

"Good. Let's pack up our things and be on our way. We definitely can't afford to let too much distance pass between us and that man. Either way, I want to be long gone from Fireheart Castle as quickly as we can manage. We've already outstayed our welcome."


	40. A Fresh Trail

Three long grueling days had passed since the group had left Fireheart Castle's immediate vicinity and Chloe couldn't have been happier about it. Victoria's prodding had gotten them to move out and ride towards the unknown in haste. It had been a good call, as made apparent by the remnants of small rushed campsites and tracks of men on horseback. Warren's gem compass was working as well as could be expected for the first day. It had managed to point them directly towards whoever was in possession of the Raven's helmet for the start of the excursion. They'd found the tracks of their foes which was good, especially since the compass stopped working the very next morning. On day two of the trek, they'd woken up to Warren's scowl and a compass pointing far south. He'd explained that whoever they'd been tracking had gone out of range and was no longer the closest of gems. It made sense to Chloe. Their group was painfully slow at travelling and whoever they were tracking was clearly healthy and driven. They'd been left in the dust. It was a glaring, unavoidable truth.

Max's injuries had been manifesting themselves prominently in the brunette's wavering energy levels. It had been out of the question to let her ride. Chloe feared the witch would slip into unconsciousness or simply go limp and fall off her horse, and so, Max was now currently sitting on top of the tinkerer's nomadic wagon alongside Warren. Madsen wasn't any better off. If they rode for longer than an hour, Chloe would force a stop to rest. At first she'd expected the Impact to let them know when he couldn't stand being in a saddle but that had proven to be a large oversight. The hunter had seen his gritted teeth and fresh blood leaking from his bandaged leg after three hours of nonstop riding. The proud man had refused to be the reason why they lagged behind and so, kept quiet about the state of his injuries. So now, every so often, Chloe would say that she felt she needed a break. It wasn't a lie  _per se_ , she  _was_  injured and the discomfort  _did_  elevate to pain after a while in the saddle. But the look of pure relief on Madsen's face when she would call a stop was reason enough to keep doing so. And anyways, if Max and Victoria's knowing looks were any indication, the rest of the group knew exactly what she was up to.

Chloe glanced up to the sky and covered her eyes from the glare of the noon height sun. They were currently trying their hardest to follow a group of enemy that was proving to be both much faster and smaller. Victoria had estimated they were following three to five men. It was hard to be sure since their quarry was riding in a straight line, each pummeling and obscuring the next one's tracks. Their group was now forced to use rotating forward scouts in the form of Chloe, Victoria and Madsen. Warren, Max and the wagon were too lumbering and slow while Kate was simply not up to the task. The blonde wasn't trained or proficient in the art of tracking men. Scouting became the only reliable way to make sure they were still properly following the same group without getting diverted. Every thirty minutes, one of the three would go out far ahead of the group and come back with any adjustments they needed to take in order to keep directly on track. It was a slow process and it seemed that every new scent of a trail was getting staler then the last. Chloe estimated that they were now a day behind and every single moment increased that distance by a large margin. She only hoped that they would stop in the nearest city long enough to give them time to catch up.

A glimpse of a small, round shape thrown upwards ahead of her took Chloe's mind off her deep thoughts. She grinned and whipped her hand in the objects direction. She'd been prepared. The small rock that had been nestling in her sling was launched perfectly into the acorn Victoria had launched over her shoulder. The gratifying sound of the two connecting over Warren's head brought a small smile to Victoria's face.

"Hey! Watch it, you two!" Warren's lighthearted shout made Max shake her head in exasperation. The small game consisting of Victoria launching acorns for Chloe to hit with a stone had stemmed from an argument in which the blue-scarred hunter had boasted that she was the most accurate of all of them with  _any_  weapon. Victoria hadn't believed her. She had so far been proven wrong, Chloe had yet to miss a single target regardless of how Victoria threw them. It also served as a nice distraction to make the travel less arduous.

"You do realize that your complaining is the exact reason that Vic keeps launching those damn acorns closer and closer to us?" Max's voice was filled with unrestrained laughter. Victoria chuckled in silent response and Kate bumped her shoulder in amusement. The pair of them was riding just ahead of the wagon while Chloe chose to ride as close as she could manage to the left side. That's where Max was sitting and therefore, that's where she would ride. Madsen was on scouting duty, he'd left the moment Chloe had come back just a few minutes ago.

"I'm complaining because if she misses, she'll knock us over the head with a rock." Chloe raised an eyebrow at the tinkerer who was still smiling fondly, he wasn't really worried.

"I don't miss."

"Only matter of time." Vic shouted from ahead. Kate burst out laughing with Max.

It seemed that the reserved blonde had changed for the better since their talk a few days ago. Like a burden had been lifted off her shoulders ever so slightly, Kate was slowly melding back into the group. Her mood had brightened considerably and she seemed to laugh and smile more than she had before. Chloe knew that Max was helping the blonde by talking with her for a couple hours every night. The dead look filled with rage was no longer as present in her hazel eyes. It was still there on occasion but when she spotted it, Chloe would make sure to take her aside and act as a sponge for Kate's thoughts and feelings. She never gave much advice but that's not what Kate really needed. Deep down, the woman just wanted someone to listen, for someone to care.

"So Warren…" Chloe trailed off and waited for him to show that he was indeed listening. "You didn't get the chance to answer me before I left to go scout earlier. What are you going to do when this is all over? What grand plans does our resident tinkerer have shoved up his sleeves for his majestic future?" Warren snorted and leaned back further into the wooden seat above the wagon. The choppy haired man looked down at the goggles that dangled from his neck.

"I didn't answer because I got no bloody clue what I'm going to do."

"That can't be true. Don't hold out on us Warren." Max pushed the tinkerer with her shoulder and a smile. As if that was all the reinforcement he needed to crack, Warren smiled. It was a cautious smile and Chloe could see the faraway glint in his eyes.

"I mean… Of course I have some thoughts but… I don't know." He sighed and gestured slightly with his hands as he spoke. "It sounds foolish but I've just always thought that being a tinkerer would mean more than it actually is." Chloe frowned and spoke up with a chuckle.

"Not making much sense right now bud. Care to elaborate?"

"Well... I always thought that after I became a tinkerer, I'd just show up to cities and make grand inventions that would help the general population. I'd make all their lives easier. Farmers, smiths… All the little guys' y'know? Like my grandmother. She slaved away most of her life as a tailor for every copper coin she could. I thought I could be the difference. I'd leave for a few years, become a tinkerer and come back to my city to change things. I'd help people like her, people like us. Not lords or kings... It feels like a pipe dream though." Kate looked over her shoulder at the man who seemed to have deflated a bit. She spoke up in a questioning tone.

"That seems like a really noble calling. Why would you say it's unobtainable?" Warren exhaled softly and bit down on his lip.

"That's not how the real world works Kate. I guess I didn't really know how it did work at that. All these things I make, all these inventions… They cost so much coin to make, even for the smallest of things. The general population can't afford it, even at just the bare material cost. The only ones who can afford to pay are the lords and royalty but they don't care about sharing the knowledge or making their followers' lives better. Some of them even make tinkerers sign contracts to say that we won't reproduce what we make for them, just so they can be the only ones with access to what we crafted."

"Bloody royalty! I'm so sick of them. Nobody ever cares about people like us, we're just pawns as far as they're concerned. Expendable, used to make their position in the grand scheme of things better." Victoria spat out the words with anger. Kate stiffened visibly and reached out a hand for comfort. Victoria batted it away roughly. The mood around them dropped and the tinkerer picked up on it. Warren plastered a smile over his face and forced out a more jovial tone as he continued.

"My grandmother always said that I was foolish for thinking that way. But you know what? I don't care about the hurdles I'll have to jump over, I was never one to turn down a challenge. I'm only twenty two years old. I'm the youngest tinkerer to ever graduate from the guild. It may take some time… A lot of it I'm sure. But when I get my name out there, when I become famous and I can command premium prices from those same lords and kings… I'll do it. I'll set coin aside and make inventions that  _I_  want to make that will change the world. I'll go back to Arcadia and right to the door of my grandmother's tailor shop. I'll show her that she was wrong." That seemed to be the right thing to say to alleviate the heavy topic. Chloe smiled at him, she could see in his eyes that he really believed every word he spoke. Even the side of Victoria's mouth was scrunched up in a small grin at his glowing enthusiasm. "I love her but that woman was always too cynical and pessimistic on her approach of life. I'll change that, you mark my words. Then I'll go and travel around the world. I haven't been outside of Arcadia and the guild's school much so I'll need to fix that. I spent way too much time indoors and studying. I need to go out there and really experience life." He grinned broadly with the utmost confidence.

"I have no doubt that you'll do just that." Kate replied with a reserved smile.

"Bloody right I will!" He glanced at Kate and pointed at her with a large flourish. "Now my dear lady, I have answered thy question on everyone's bated breath. It is now  _your_  turn to answer the most important of queries." Chloe threw an acorn at his head and laughed. He grumbled while rubbing the side of his head with an exaggerated gesture. Max joined in with her laughter, eyes filled with mirth.

"Stop acting like a bloody lord before Vic decides to take you down a peg." Warren raised his hands as a sign of surrender. He was still carrying that charming smile of his.

"Alright, alright. But I am interested in the answer nonetheless. Care to share what you'll do when this over Kate?" The blonde's eyes darkened and the smile vanished from her face. The rest of them were all probably thinking the same thing.  _"We won't survive this."_  Before she could step in and change the topic, Victoria spoke up.

"I'll be going travelling too." Kate glanced at her riding companion. Victoria smiled and adopted the same jovial tone that Warren had used during his speech. She was humoring him to keep the group positive. "Like you said, I haven't seen much of this world. I've been around but I haven't  _really_  explored. Being a hunter, you're always looking for the next contract and never really taking the time to look at your surroundings. Never really enjoying the sights and wonders that pass you by." Victoria threw an acorn in the air and Chloe barely reacted in time. Her sling shot out in the direction and Max cheered victoriously when the rock connected with the nut. Just like that, the topic seemed less dark. Even Kate managed to look somewhat happy. "I figure I'll travel for the rest of my life. I was never one to settle down anyways, always on my feet, always looking for something to move towards."

"Could I come with you?" Chloe's eyebrow rose with a stunned expression as Kate's soft voice joined in the conversation. Her tone was saddened. "I have nothing left for me in Beorf. To be honest, I don't think I could face that city ever again. I just…" She breathed put softly. "I don't know what I'll do after all this…" Victoria smiled at her warmly and extended a comforting hand to the blonde's shoulder.

"Of course you can Kate. I'd love to have you join me on my travels." Kate's face lit up at the prospect, despite the sad tinge in her eyes, she seemed genuinely happy. Warren smiled as he took up his persona of a lord once more, gesturing in front of himself as if uncovering a freshly painted canvass.

"I can see it clearly. The two ladies ahead will travels to the corners of the world, exploring the grandest of wonders. They'll fight through the sea and winds, the harshest of winters, the hottest of summers, as they begin their quest towards everlasting glory and discovery of the unknown!" Kate laughed and Victoria rolled her eyes at him. "And what of you my dearest lady?" He looked at the brunette sitting next to him. Max turned her head and locked eyes with Chloe. Her warm smile made the hunter lose any and all thoughts for a few moments as she lost herself in the woman's blue eyes.  _"Lord. She's just so beautiful…"_ Max's cheeks reddened and she cleared her throat.

"Umm… I don't know. What about you Chloe?" Deciding not to dampen the good feelings they'd managed to have hang in the air, the hunter actually entertained the question.

"I'll go to Tynhead." That got everyone's attention. All eyes focused on her and she grinned. "Last I heard, the whole city is still under attack by a dangerous coven. The contract pays very,  _very_  well and I'd be helping free the population from their clutches. I've also never been that far west. I hear the coast is a quite a sight to behold." Warren nodded approvingly and all eyes turned back to Max. The brunette didn't seem to notice, she was still looking at Chloe with a warm smile.

"I've never been to Tynhead either and this sounds like it could be a pretty dangerous contract." Chloe grinned adoringly at the witch's words.

"I wouldn't turn down some help." Despite the height difference between the horse and wagon, she unconsciously reached out a hand and Max took it contentedly. "That is… If you…"

"Sounds like a plan." The pair of them rode for a silent moment staring at each other, hands clasped, oblivious to everything else around them. Victoria's voice brought the two out of their daze.

"I bloody knew it! You two finally got together didn't you?" Max's eyes widened and both of them turned to Victoria who was sporting a victorious smirk. The short haired hunter laughed at their reaction. "About bloody time" Chloe had assumed that Victoria already suspected something had changed between her and Max. What actually stunned her was that a grinning Kate of all people, seemed the least surprised of them all. Warren just raised an eyebrow in amusement at Victoria's passionate outburst.

"Took them way too long don't you think?" The tinkerer's words made Max look at him with widened eyes.

" _You_  expected this?" He snorted in amusement.

"Of course I did! I had even had to sit Chloe down and tell her I wasn't interested in pursuing you because she kept glaring at me all the damn time. I felt like she was going to stab me every time I so much as looked at you." Chloe glared at him angrily as she felt heat rise to her cheeks. Max looked back at her and laughed.  _"Bloody tinkerer! Can't you hold your tongue for once in your bloody life?!"_

"You were jealous of Warren?" Chloe looked away, her face unmistakably hot.

"I… Well…"

"Don't you dare tease Chloe about this!" Kate voice made the hunter snap her gaze to the smiling blonde. Max's eyes widened and she urgently tried to say something before Kate cut her off. The blonde looked straight at Chloe. "I lost count of the amount of time Max took me aside at night to talk about you and her feelings." Now it was Max's turn to hide her red face in her hands while Chloe laughed. "I must've spent hours and hours hearing all about you. And god forbid the time you left to go on a contract with Victoria. I spent a full week calming her down because of how worri…"

"Please stop!" Max's strained voice only served to make Chloe and Warren laugh even harder. Kate stopped talking to put Max out of her misery. Chloe tugged insistently on the witch's hand until Max hesitantly looked back at her.

"If it makes you feel any better, Victoria sort of did the same for me." When Max seemed a bit less embarrassed, she couldn't help but add "Of course, nowhere near to that extent though. Seems you really had it bad huh?" Max grabbed at a handful of acorns lying on the top of the wagon and threw them at Chloe while the hunter laughed and tried her best to block the incoming projectiles. A gruff voice suddenly grabbed their attention and Chloe looked up from her extended hands towards Madsen. He had apparently come back from his scouting trip and was patiently waiting to share his news. If the intense look on his face gave any indication, the news he carried was important. The wagon rolled to a stop and Chloe moved her horse closer to the large man.

"What is it Madsen? What happened?" Victoria cut straight to the chase. The Impact rubbed at his moustache and grinned.

"I found their camp. It's not an old one either. We've caught up to them." Kate eyes widened and she leaned in excitedly.

"How?" Madsen glanced at the fidgeting blonde.

"They're camped out on the edge of a very large village. I didn't get too close and I stayed away from prying eyes. They've got one man watching over their horses and supplies. I don't know where the rest are but I suspect that they've been camped out here for at least a day."

"They're probably sending word of what happened and waiting on a response. If it's a large village, they'll have at least a handful of seekers. That explains why they've been riding so hard towards it." Max's words came out quietly as the brunette pondered the implications.

"You'd think they would've sent out word of what happened days ago at Fireheart though?" Chloe's spoken thoughts were brushed off easily by the brunette.

"Not necessarily. We left the castle in chaos and seekers tend to have hastier ways of spreading knowledge amongst cities. They'll be much quicker to reach Arcadia and bring back orders than a soldier riding towards the capital on his lonesome. This is our chance!"

"Calm down, all of you." Everyone looked to Warren who was fidgeting with the reins or his wagon in thought. "We need to approach this carefully.  _Very_  carefully. Think about it. Max and Madsen are both still out of commission." The Impact opened his mouth to disagree but the tinkerer stared him down. "No. You can't fight. Your wounds are still too severe, they barely manage to keep themselves sown shut after riding longer than an hour." He pointed at himself. "I'm all but useless in a fight and Pompidou is still injured and resting inside my wagon. It comes down to Victoria, Kate and Chloe. And Chloe's side and arms still look a deeper shade of purple than a bloody grape. We  _need_  to approach this carefully. We cannot engage unless we are one hundred percent sure that we have a flawless plan because we simply aren't strong enough to engage in a direct fight." The tinkerer's words rang out the truth and deflated the group's enthusiasm. Victoria looked at Chloe.

"What you think Blue?" Chloe looked between Kate and Victoria.

"I say we camp on the other side of the village and scout them out for a night before deciding on anything. We don't even know how many there are and if our target is even a part of them. Realistically, the closest city is what..? Maybe two days away by horse if you ride hard. So a seeker won't be back to the village for a few days. Their group will probably use the time to rest their horses since they've been riding the animals so hard. This'll also give us time to take it easy and plan things out." Victoria nodded her assent.

"We'll scout them out tonight. Madsen, can you show us the best way to circumvent their camp and get to the other side of the village?" He nodded and gestured for Victoria to follow. Chloe heeled her horse into motion and followed after him with the rest of the party in tow.

 


	41. Taking The Night Off

Chloe ran a hand through her damp, freshly cut hair as she made her way back towards where the group had camped. The blue-scarred hunter was feeling rejuvenated, this was largely due to the last couple of hours she had taken to freshen herself up. The village they'd stopped at was bigger than she'd expected, Madsen hadn't lied when he'd said that it was very large. In fact, the hunter figured it was probably the size of a small city just without a lord, guards or brick walls surrounding it. It did have a large wooden enclosure built around it but nothing that would actually provide any protection if invaders decided to try their hand at terrorizing the population. Thankfully, it didn't seem that they really needed defenses. From what Chloe had seen of the inside of the village, it looked like every store owner and resident carried some sort of weapon on their back in case of a situation such as that. They most likely were well versed in settling those kinds of matters themselves.

The hunter shifted the oversized bag under her left arm with some difficulty and sighed contentedly when it came to a comfortable resting spot once more. The bundle contained all her clothes and weapons from her hooded cloak all the way to her enchanted blade and crossbow. The only thing she'd elected to keep on herself was her two daggers that hung in their sheaths at the sides of her hips. They were attached to a brand new brown leather belt with intricate patterns of fine etched lines. It looked like something a fairly rich citizen of a city would wear. It didn't look out of place however and matched the rest of the ensemble she now wore. Chloe had taken the last two hours to get her battle gear cleaned, get her hair cut back to shoulder length, shop for new clothes and to visit a bathhouse to clean herself. She had even stopped at a small store to buy a tiny vial of an herbal scented fragrance that had taken her attention as she walked by. A second smaller bag was in her right hand. That one at least had the decency to be both less bulky and much lighter to carry. She shifted the heavy bundle under the crook of her arm a second time as the hilt of her blade stabbed at her side once again. As she took the first steps into the temporary encampment, she noticed Victoria fiddling with her boots. The other hunter's back was turned to her but it didn't seem to matter, Victoria didn't even bother to look over her shoulder as she addressed Chloe.

"Been gone a while Blue… You finally ready to gear up and go scout?" Chloe moved to the tinkerer's yellow wagon and dropped her two bundles into it next to the sleeping form of Pompidou. The scruffy dog was curled up on a couple of towels that Kate had used for a makeshift bed. Chloe exhaled softly and rubbed at her ribs to rid herself of the sore spot under her arm. The camp was empty save for herself, Victoria and Kate. The latter pair had gone out first before anyone else to freshen up, followed by Chloe after a short while. Madsen, Warren and Max had waited until they'd come back before going to do their own thing in the village. Chloe hadn't seen them depart or ran into any of them amongst the large populace.

"Umm… About that…" At her hesitant tone, Victoria finally finished tying her boots and turned to face Chloe. Her eyes widened noticeably in surprise and scanned her over appreciatively. The short haired hunter even let out a small whistle to show her approval. The sharp noise caught Kate's attention who did a double take at Chloe from where she'd been sitting and stoking the small fire.

"Damn... I don't think I've ever seen you wearing anything but your hunter gear before. You clean up nice." Chloe looked down with an embarrassed shrug despite herself. What Victoria said struck a chord.

She hadn't worn something like this in a very long time, probably close to a couple of years if she estimated correctly. She had on a pair of expensive blue pants made of wool that hugged her figure nicely and a burgundy collared long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up her forearms. It was topped off with a loose and opened light brown vest. The wide, detailed leather belt that hung slightly at an angle on her hips finished the ensemble. It had cost her a decent amount of coin but she figured it was worth it. It was a very rare occasion for her to indulge in non-essential purchases that weren't tied to her chosen career.

"Thanks." Victoria frowned for a moment before her eyes momentarily flickered behind Chloe's shoulders.

"Where's your crossbow and blade Blue? Not that you don't look fetching mind you, but I don't think you should go out scouting looking like that. If we run into trouble, you might regret not gearing up properly." Chloe scratched at the back of her neck awkwardly before locking gazes with the other woman's emerald eyes.

"I was sort of hoping you could handle the scouting mission without me tonight." Victoria's eyebrows rose in obvious confusion. Chloe had definitely taken her off guard with that comment.

"Uh… I mean, I guess I could if you really aren't up to it. What's wrong? Is your side and hands still giving you trouble?" Chloe felt at her right side absently. It was still incredibly sensitive and covered in purple and yellow bruises. The small amount of pressure she applied to it managed to spike a sharp but manageable pain. It wasn't too bad, she could easily complete a scouting mission without any real trouble.

"Not really." Chloe's eyes caught movement coming from the direction of the village. Max and Warren were both coming back to the encampment together. Both looked refreshed and cleaned up. They still wore their regular clothing however, albeit cleaned from the many stains they'd acquired in battle just a week ago. Max had gotten her hair cut back to its regular short length while the tinkerer had elected to let his choppy hair stay at the length it had grown to. Max raised a hand from afar and Chloe returned the gesture with a smile. "I just had other plans for tonight." Victoria's gaze wandered to the approaching duo before she let out a chuckle.

"Ah... I get it. No worries Blue. Take the night off. Hell, if anyone deserves to relax for once, it's you." Chloe bit her lip with conflicting emotions, she felt somewhat guilty for bailing on what was an important duty.

"Are you sure Vic? I don't want to leave you alone if you don't feel comfortable with it. I can change out of this and help out. Really, it's not that big a deal." She turned back towards the wagon and the large bundle in its corner but was stopped short by a hand on her arm. Victoria shook her head in amusement before waving a hand in a careless manner in front of her. The dismissive gesture brought an excited grin back to Chloe's face as the last remnants of guilt faded from her mind.

"Don't even worry about it, I'll be fine." Victoria looked over to the blonde that was warming herself up with hands extended towards the orange flames. "Kate!" Kate jumped like a startled rabbit and let out a small yelp as she was rudely distracted from whatever she had been thinking of.

"What?"

"Get your ass over here and get yourself geared up! It's high time I teach you how to scout an enemy properly." Kate beamed brightly at the words and scrambled up in haste towards her bag. Chloe could spot two short swords hilts sticking out of it and a short bow leaning at a precarious angle against them. Victoria smiled broadly at the blonde's enthusiasm. "See? I won't even be going alone. This'll be good for her anyways, I didn't get much chance to run her through more than basic theory in scouting."

"You think she'll be up for something like this right away? This is a far jump from tracking down easy game like mercenaries." Chloe's worries barely registered on her fellow hunter's face. Victoria exuded an air of utter confidence as she watched Kate attach the sheaths to her belt.

"She'll be fine. It's not like they know we're even after them. Plus, nothing quite like getting thrown straight into a deep lake to learn how to swim right?" Chloe laughed at the other hunter's words.

"You clearly had a very different childhood from mine Vic. My dad didn't let me anywhere near the deep end until I proved I could handle swimming in the shallows."

"To each their own."

"Oh… Wow…" Both hunters pivoted simultaneously away from where they had been watching Kate. Max was standing in front of them and her crystal blue eyes were not making any attempt at hiding her very obvious staring. The witch was looking over Chloe's attire with a small smile. "You look…" The brunette trailed off, still staring. Her eyes shone with an emotion Chloe hadn't seen directed towards her in a long time. The witch finally met the hunter's gaze and Chloe flushed. She mentally congratulated herself for taking the time to gather some new, fancier clothing. Victoria stepped away stealthily to go join Kate and give the couple some privacy.

"I figured I'd change things up a bit." She raised her hands and Max happily walked into the embrace. She felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist and heard a muffled contended sigh. "Hey…" Chloe stepped out of the hug and looked down at the witch. "Vic and Kate are going to go on the scouting trip tonight so… I figured we could go out and have a good time together. As a couple." Max smiled broadly, she was swaying gently on the edge of her feet in excitement.

"Really?"

"Yeah. They can handle it without me and… I think we deserve a night off after all we've been through. Don't you agree?" As a response, Max stood on the tip of her toes and kissed the hunter tenderly. They broke apart after a few blissful moments.

"Wait…" Max frowned and looked down at herself. "I don't have anything but this to wear and you look so much more... You should have told me earlier!" Chloe smiled and reached for the small bundle in the wagon. She handed it to the witch who opened it with a raised eyebrow. Chloe had thought ahead to the possibility that Max wouldn't have purchased herself a nicer set of clothes in the village.

"I wanted to surprise you." She gestured to the articles that Max was pulling out from the bag. "I hope this is your style, don't feel pressured to wear it or anything if you don't like it… I just thought that it would look good on you… Completely up to you though… You look good in anything…" She forced herself to trail off before she could continue rambling on any further. Max didn't seem to notice as she pulled the items out to inspect them.

"It looks fantastic Chloe." The hunter let out a quiet sigh of relief when Max smiled back at her.

"It should fit you too so don't worry about it being too big or small." When Max raised a questioning eyebrow, Chloe added "I got your measurements from Warren, he still has them from when he made our group a new set of armor. The lady who sold it to me assured me that it would fit you." Max nodded appreciatively once more as she glanced over the article.

"Give me a dozen or so minutes while I get ready." Max gave her a tender peck on the lips and walked towards Victoria and Kate who were engrossed in a quiet discussion. A surprised Kate was suddenly dragged away by the arm as Max took her away with a laugh towards a secluded portion of the camp that was out of view. Victoria huffed in annoyance at seeing her scouting companion be taken away, she'd be forced to wait a bit longer before setting off on her task. Chloe moved to join Warren who was just settling down near the fire. A quick moment passed before the short haired hunter settled down with the two of them.

"So what are you up to tonight?" The tinkerer inquired. Chloe glanced at Warren who was stretching lazily with his arms extended behind his head. He seemed in good spirits but then again, Warren almost always was. The man was rarely seen without a smile on his face, he was probably the only one of the group that saw this grand quest of theirs as an adventure. Chloe figured it was a perk of never having to do any actual fighting. She responded absently as she used her hand to wipe a scuff mark off her boot.

"Going on a date. What about you?" Warren chuckled and leaned back slightly.

"I'll probably spend some more time familiarizing myself with Max's herbs and salves. Maybe sew up Madsen's leg again… He doesn't take care of his wounds properly. It wouldn't surprise me if he broke open the stiches again doing whatever he's doing up in the village." Chloe nodded absently, it was a good assumption. Then she froze and gave him an odd look as the words ringed a second time in her head. Victoria was also staring at him quizzically. When the tinkerer looked between the two of them, he raised his hands to the fire and smiled sheepishly. "Ever since that night at Fireheart Castle when you all came back bloodied, I've been toying with the idea of learning to heal. I figure it might prove useful to have a full time healer that isn't at risk of being taken down in a fight and since I'm completely useless on the battlefield…" He shrugged with an embarrassed look on his face.

"That's a great idea Warren. Honestly." Victoria spoke up from beside the tinkerer, her face had a look of contemplation. "Chloe, Madsen and I only know the bare minimum in that field. Mostly stuff that could come in handy to patch yourself up in the middle of a battle. Max is clearly the best and Kate has above average experience in that regard but I won't say no to having a third person capable of healing the rest of us after a fight."

"You're one of the smartest people I know Warren." Chloe piped up. "I've got no doubt you'll pick this up quickly." She paused. "But don't think you haven't been of use to us just because you can't fight. Don't put yourself down like that." She locked gaze with the man. "You're already an amazing asset to the team. It's just that your strengths lie somewhere else. It's for the best anyways, a team can't be made up of only one type of soldier. Every good army needs men like you in the background who can do what the rest of us cant." He blushed slightly at the praise and looked back to the fire. The tinkerer mumbled something like ' _thanks_ ' under his breath.

An exchange of distant cheerful laughter made the three companions look towards the disturbance. Max and Kate were talking in low volume between each other with smiles on their faces as they made their way towards the rest of them. Chloe had guessed right. Max did look breathtaking in what she'd selected. The witch wore a deep purple sleeved dress that reached down to just above her boots. It was conservative in the amount of skin it showed but the way it accentuated Max's figure was still more than enough to make heat rise to the hunter's face. Chloe found herself so distracted that didn't realize she'd been spoken to until Warren tapped her on the back. She broke her gaze away from the dress to lock eyes with an amused Max.

"I'm sorry… What was that?"

"Are you ready to go?" Kate and Warren both laughed as the brunette was forced to repeat herself a second time. Chloe nodded, eager to get away from her friends' poorly smothered amusement. She proffered her arm to Max who happily took it. Two sets of blue eyes met each other and they started down the path towards the village. This was going to be a fun night.

* * *

Chloe opened the door to  _Stepper's Vigor,_ gesturing for Max to enter the large establishment first. It was the largest and rowdiest tavern she'd been able to find in the large village. The well-lit tavern was just one enormous floor and was filled with dozens of patrons laughing, dancing and enjoying other's company. The area near the entrance was filled with tables occupied by large groups that were busing themselves gambling or sharing stories. To their right was a very long bar that stretched the entire length of the large establishment. A small door behind one of the five bartenders led to the kitchen. Almost every stool at the bar was occupied by a wide range of people from young to old. The further half of the floor was cleared of all obstacles and served as a large dance floor. It was crowded and loud upbeat music came from a group of four musicians that were performing on a raised platform with the wall to their backs. Max's small grin grew substantially as she drank the sight in. The brunette was forced to lean in close to Chloe's ear simply to be heard by the hunter over the exuberant yells and shouts of the patrons lining the walls of the dance floor. They were currently cheering on the musicians who wrapped up a song and started up another with an even faster tempo.

"How did you even find this place? I wouldn't even think that a place like this existed here." Chloe laughed at the question and shouted her response over the music and voices.

"I asked around when I first arrived. All the locals pointed me here as the  _'spot'_  to be for a good time. You alright with it? We can always go somewhere else if it's not your cup of tea. I also asked for the names of some more reserved taverns" That was also part of her earlier research into her plans for tonight. Chloe had been sure to cover all her bases to make sure that tonight would be as amazing as she could make it. Max shook her head and smiled, her blue eyes glinted in elation.

"It's perfect!" It was exactly what she'd hoped to hear the witch say. Chloe leaned down and passionately captured the brunette's lips with her own. Max's hands snaked around the hunter's waist and Chloe lingered for a long moment before finally stepping away and pointing to a small table with two unoccupied chairs.

"Go save us that table over there. I'll be back with some drinks." Max smiled and nodded before turning away and carefully squeezing by other rowdy patrons.

Chloe watched her leave, unable to wipe the smile from her face. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so happy for such a long period of time. The last week had been the best in a long, long time for her and it was all due to the beautiful brunette. Max looked back briefly and caught Chloe still standing there in the same spot and staring back at her. The hunter finally tore her gaze away when Max laughed and gestured insistently towards the bar. A few patrons froze on the spot and showed visible shock as she turned to make her way towards the long counter. Her scar was glowing bright blue from the many lamps that lit the tavern. It didn't bother her in the least, if anything, it served as a distinct advantage. Most patrons moved out of her way in haste to allow her to walk straight through so she didn't have to resort to weaving her way in like Max had.

The nearest bartender was a short woman in her mid-twenties with shoulder length auburn hair. She was engrossed in filling a few glasses of chilled wine for a woman as another drunk patron to her left stumbled over his words. The man was having trouble articulating exactly what he wanted and Chloe watched the bartender raise an eyebrow in confusion as he started to gesticulate wildly with his hands. Chloe laughed at the visible strain on her face and the woman finally gave up and just shoved a mug of some sort of ale towards him. The drunkard seemed pacified and he dropped a few silver coins carelessly down on the bar before lumbering away with a toothy smile on his face. Chloe raised her hand while leaning on the counter in an attempt to catch her attention before someone else could. Thankfully, it didn't seem like anyone else needed a refill and the bartender's gaze locked in on her quickly. She approached and leaned over the counter with a grin.

"What can I do for you?" Chloe had to lean in close to hear over the ruckus.

"A tall cup of chilled wine and the largest mug of ale you can scrounge up." Chloe scattered a handful of coins on the bar which the bartender deftly scooped up with one hand and dropped into a pouch at the front of her apron. The woman looked down below the counter and grimaced before making her way to the kitchen door and shouting something unintelligible to someone on the other side. She returned a moment later.

"I had to send someone to bring up a few more barrels of ale. You'll have to wait a couple of minutes."

"No worries." The woman gave out a relieved smile when she saw that Chloe wouldn't be causing a scene for the lack of quick service. Chloe looked over her shoulder and lifted a hand with two fingers pointing up. Max caught the gesture from where she sat at the table and gave her a smile and nod to show she understood there would be a delay. The bartender looked around her area of the bar, nobody was requiring her attention so she looked back to the hunter. Suddenly, the auburn haired bartender frowned before her mouth dropped open in shock.

"You!" She leaned in and her blue eyes were looking right at Chloe. The hunter could see a soft blue hue reflected on the woman's face, no doubt caused by their proximity and her scar. Chloe couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "You're the Blue Hunter!" The bartender blurted out. She seemed at a loss for how to properly react. Her face went through a range of emotions until it finally settled on wariness.

"What gave me away?" Chloe asked playfully, her response made the woman in front of her relax visibly.

"Don't take this the wrong way but you look nothing like I expected. I always pictured you'd look much less attractive and more… Beaten up?" It came out as a question near the end.

"Thank you..?" Chloe replied with a small grin. The woman's blue eyes grew excited.

"Are you on a contract right now? Can I see your crossbow? That weapon is famous, I'd love to see what it looks like!"

"Didn't bring it with me… I'm not on a hunt tonight." An embarrassed smile fell over the woman and she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Of course… I didn't even think about it. Why would you be here of all places if you were on a contract..?" The woman leaned in closer. "So, are you here with anyone?" The tone of her voice didn't leave much doubt in the hunter's mind about where this line of questioning was heading. Chloe shut that down quick and she turned her head and regarded Max with a fond smile which was returned from across the loud floor.

"My date." The bartender followed Chloe's gaze and her features dropped slightly before she composed herself again.

"Ah." She extended an introductory hand which Chloe grabbed and shook. "I'm Steph."

"Chloe." They broke the handshake and Chloe took a long look around the area. "How do you like working here? Gotta imagine that it's pretty hectic and stressful all the damn time. I don't know how you lot do it. I don't think I could last more than a couple of minutes without stabbing some drunk who got a little too confrontational." Steph laughed.

"It's just temporary thankfully. I'm actually leaving for Arcadia tomorrow. I only offered my help for a week to the tavern's owner so I could refill some of my coin pouch before taking off on my travels again."

"Arcadia?" Steph nodded and Chloe pushed on. "Why are you heading there? I know it's not my business but you should avoid going to the capital if possible. Take my word on it, Arcadia isn't a safe place to be as of late. Trouble is brewing in that bloody city and it's only a matter of time before it boils over." Steph grinned mischievously at the words, as if hearing Chloe confirm that the city was bad news was exactly what she wanted to hear. There was something in the woman's eyes that threw Chloe off.  _"She seems too… Happy? No. Excited."_

"That's exactly why I'm heading there." Chloe frowned at the bartender's admission.

"You don't seem the type to be looking for trouble."

"Looks can be deceiving."

There was something about the woman that made Chloe uneasy. Something about the way she spoke and looked at her. A huge muscled man walked through the kitchen door with a barrel of ale in his hands. His face was red from the strain of carrying it and he made his way hastily towards Steph before dropping the barrel to the ground roughly. He took a short breather and picked up the empty one to bring it to the back. Steph filled a large mug with its content and then grabbed a big cup to pour the chilled wine into. The hunter reached for the drinks but Steph's hand grabbed her arm to stop her. Chloe glared and her free hand instinctively made its way to her hip, hovering over her dagger. The auburn haired woman pulled back instantly and raised her hands in a pacifying manner with wide eyes.

"Sorry. I don't mean any trouble. Especially from someone like you. I just…" A glint of silver caught Chloe's eye as Steph pulled out a large metallic coin from her pocket. Its diameter looked to be the same as the length of her thumb. The woman slid it across the bar. Chloe looked at her quizzically.

"What is it?"

"It's the reason I'm heading to Arcadia." Chloe reached for the coin and inspected it further. It had an engraving on one side, the other was bland. The detailed side was of a hand, palm forward, with four vertical jagged cuts in its center. The hunter didn't recognize the symbol.

"I don't get it. What am I looking at?" She tried to give it back but the woman raised a hand to stop her.

"I never thought I'd be lucky enough to stumble into a meeting with a hunter of your caliber and I'd be remiss if I didn't jump at the opportunity when it presents itself." Chloe still didn't understand what the woman was talking about. It must've showed on her face because Steph leaned in and spoke with a quieter tone. "I'm part of a…" She hesitated. "Band of likeminded people that are to meet in Arcadia. We have certain goals we want to achieve in the capital and to have a hunter like you on retainer would be..." Steph's eyes shone with fixed purpose. "A great asset towards our cause." Chloe squinted and revaluated everything she'd come to gather about the woman named Steph. For some reason, Chloe's gut was shouting that this was a dangerous individual. But for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why.

"Retainer? You do realize how much my services costs, don't you? If you have to resort to bartending just to afford your way to Arcadia, I guarantee you can't meet my price." Steph seemed to grow frustrated at the hunter's words.

"We  _can_  afford your services, premium or not." Chloe looked at her with doubt etched over her face and Steph pushed harder. "Trust me on that. Keep it." She pointed to the metallic coin Chloe held in her hand. "If you end up making your way to Arcadia and are looking for a large score, show the coin to any underground dealer. They'll know how to contact us." Chloe regarded the coin in her hand and she shoved it into her pocket. The gesture made Steph smile in satisfaction.

"I warn you. I may not go to Arcadia for quite some time, if at all." Steph waved a hand to the drinks on the counter.

"I'll make it worth your while if you do. Like you said, trouble  _is_  brewing in the capital. Don't you want to be a part of it?" Chloe raised an eyebrow and couldn't help the small grin that tugged at the corner of her lips. She didn't know whether or not to trust the woman but she was most definitely intrigued. Either way, it wouldn't matter for some time. She wouldn't rush to the capital until it was time to do so, large sums of coin or not.

"Until we meet again." Steph nodded a goodbye and Chloe grabbed the drinks and made her way through the crowd towards Max's table.  _"What the hell is happening in that bloody city? The more I hear of it, the more it becomes clear that it's going to be a much bigger problem than I initially thought."_

"Hey!" Max smiled up at her adoringly and reached for the cup of chilled wine in Chloe's left hand. "What were you two talking about over at the bar? Seemed serious from your expression." Chloe snapped out of her reverie and found a smile blooming on her own face when she looked at the witch.

"Just some hunter business. I'll tell you later, I don't want to talk shop on our first date." She sat down and took a pull from her mug of ale.

Quickly, thoughts of the coin and the strange woman evaporated from her mind and were replaced by fond thoughts of the brunette across from her as they laughed and talked about whatever came to mind. The atmosphere of the tavern with its loud music and rambunctious patrons kept the two in good humor for a good hour as they simply basked in the moment and enjoyed each other's presence. Chloe did unconsciously avoid going back to the same bartender when she got up to get them refills. When they polished off their third round of drinks, Chloe stood up and offered a hand towards the sitting witch. Max frowned at her with a gleeful yet confused expression.

"Get up Max! Let's go to the dance floor." Max's face reddened visibly and she shook her head in embarrassment.

"I… I don't know about that Chloe. I'm not a good dancer." Chloe laughed and moved her hand closer insistently.

"You don't need to be a good dancer Max. We're here for a good time and I'll be damned if I let you sit down and pass this up. I don't know when we'll get the chance to have another night like this again." Max sighed and reluctantly got up. She took Chloe's hand and raised an amused eyebrow when she noticed that the hunter's gaze was fixated on her body. The beautiful purple dress Max wore attracted many other patrons' attention and Chloe found herself mentally agreeing with them.  _"She looks so gorgeous in that dress."_

"What is it?"

"You look gorgeous in that dress." Chloe looked into the witch's blue eyes and voiced her inner thoughts. She was rewarded for her bluntness with Max's blushing face and a shy smile. The hunter glared at a man whose gaze lingered just a little too long on her date's figure. One look at Chloe's face and her glowing blue scar and he turned away abruptly, knocking over his drink in his haste to push himself further away into the crowd. She walked over to the crowded dance floor and Max hesitated once more just before they reached it. She looked at the brunette with a serious expression. "Don't worry about it, just enjoy yourself Max. If it helps, remember that your date is a ruthless hunter and if anyone so much as smirks at you the wrong way, I'll make damn sure they regret it." Max laughed and snaked an arm around Chloe's side, careful to avoid putting too much pressure on the hunter's bruises. The last of Max's resistance melted away and Chloe guided them into the crowd with a broad smile.


	42. Scout Report

The door to Stepper's Vigor rammed open as Chloe's boot connected with its base a bit more roughly then intended. The cold fresh air of the night made a stark contrast to the hot and stuffy atmosphere from inside of the tavern. Max followed right on the hunter's heels and closed the door with more care, effectively restraining the loud music and yells of its patrons to the building's confines. The brunette didn't waste any time before snaking her arms around Chloe's waist and nuzzling into the hunter's neck. The pair of them were sweaty and warm from the many hours spent dancing and drinking in the tavern. It was now well into the night and the large village was almost deserted. The only exception to that were two bearded men leaning against a nearby store front, bottle of liquor in hand.

"This was a great idea Chloe. Thank you so much for tonight." Max's muffled voice made its way to her ears and the hunter shivered slightly at the warm breath tickling her collar bone.

"Mmmhm… I wish it didn't have to end." Max nodded her agreement, still burrowed in the hunter's arm. Chloe prodded the witch to move back a slight bit and she captured the brunette's lips with her own for a deep, heated kiss.

They broke apart after a long moment and started down the dark path ahead that would ultimately lead back outside the village and towards their camp. Chloe's left hand was around the smaller woman's shoulders and Max's right hand was gently holding onto the hunter's side. It made the trek somewhat more difficult and awkward but neither of them minded one bit. The closeness it entailed was reward enough for suffering a little bit of discomfort. They walked this way for a few minutes, laughing and recounting embarrassing moments during the night when they had stepped on the dance floor of the inn. Neither of them had proven themselves to be good at that particular endeavor and it had led to many uttered apologies as both the hunter and witch accidentally knocked into anyone and anything that dared be inside of the dangerous radius.

"Did you see his face when you smacked the drink out of his hand and all over his friend's pants?" The brunette's loud crystalline laughter rang in the quiet night and Chloe shook her head in what she hoped passed for annoyance. It didn't have the effect she wanted since the smile on her lips showed her clear amusement at the tale. Truthfully, Chloe had been pretty drunk at that point and it had been far from her only mishap of the night as she downed more and more mugs of ale. Max laughed harder, her slender body shaking in unrestrained glee. "I thought he was going to kill you until you turned around and he saw your face." Her laughter grew louder. "I can't actually believe that  _he_  apologized to  _you_  for drenching him in ale." Chloe finally broke and cackled loudly at the memory that sprung in her head. The tall muscular man had turned white as a ghost when he'd identified her as the Blue Hunter. He had even offered to buy her a drink somewhere in his apologetic ramblings as a peace offering. Chloe had turned it down obviously and had bought a whole round of drinks for the man and his friends. After spending some time chatting, they'd even offered a seat at their table for both women which they had gladly taken for a small break.

"It was your fault in the first place! You bumped into me and made me lose my balance!" the hunter shouted with an indignant tone once she finally got her breath back. Max separated herself from the hunter and moved a pace ahead, walking backwards as she looked at Chloe.

"How dare you… Lies! I will not stand here and have my poise put into question!" Max placed a hand over her heart in an exaggerated offended gesture. Suddenly, one of Max's boots connected with a small protruding rock and she tripped backwards. Chloe reached out and grabbed the brunette deftly, landing roughly on her right knee and at the same time pulling her deep into an embrace to avoid having her colliding with the hard ground. The hunter raised an eyebrow as she looked into Max's blue eyes.

"What was that about your poise?" Max snickered and let herself be helped up. Chloe could feel a dull throb in her knee but the pain felt far away. The alcohol did a good job at masking it, she was sure she'd feel it in full strength tomorrow when its effects would pass.

"My hero!" As Max moved up for another kiss, the hunter caught movement from the corner of her eyes. The hunter tilted her head to the side and instead hugged the witch close. Max frowned. "Something wrong?"

"We're being trailed by a couple of men. The same ones from outside the tavern, they have to have been following us for a good ten minutes now." Chloe spoke in a hushed tone. She felt the brunette stiffen in her arms.

"The Raven's men?" Max voiced her concern at just above a whisper. Chloe got a better, inconspicuous look by swaying with Max a bit to the left. Then she prodded her towards an alley further down the path.

"Looks like just a couple of cutpurses." Chloe's face lit up with an excited smile. Max took one look at the hunter and frowned.

"No." Chloe looked at her with the best pleading look she could muster.

"Pleeease?" Max crossed her arms and inhaled sharply as they walked but Chloe could already see her date's resolve faltering.  _"Oh… I got you…"_

"No."

"Maaaax…" Max finally let out a small smile and rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Really?" Chloe nodded, enthusiasm leaking through her own blue eyes. "Don't hurt them too much, alright?"

"I'm just going to give them a bit of a scare…" They finally reached the alley and Chloe pulled out a single dagger with her right hand before flattening herself against the dark wall. She looked back at Max with a smug grin. The witch was smiling back at her with amusement. The brunette was leaning against the wall a few feet farther with her arms crossed, making a show of not being stealthy. The sound of footsteps and hushed voices reached her ears from around the corner.

"…ad idea. She's armed and she looks like she knows how to use them." The first voice was fairly high pitched in tone despite the obvious effort at keeping the volume down. A snort sounded from the second man.

"You're scared of a couple of lasses? Grow a spine, man. The short one with the dress didn't even have any weapons on her and I bet you the one with daggers is just using them for show. Let's just keep following them till they get out of th…  _Urrrk!"_

Chloe jabbed her right hand, hilt of her dagger pointing forward, and slammed it into the second man's throat. He went down like a rock. His two meaty hands grasped at the exposed flesh and he began to choke violently. The first man's eyes widened in shock and he raised a hand that held a wooden cudgel. Chloe just smirked as she swatted his hand to the side using her left fist and kneed him in the groin. As he bent down reflexively with a grunt of pain, she knocked the weapon from his grasp and pressed her dagger against his throat. That put an end to the struggle real quick and the man stopped moving as he was trapped between the wall and her blade. Chloe could hear the faint rasping sound of the man on the ground, she glanced at him and stepped hard on his extended hand that was currently trying to reach the fallen cudgel. He let out a pained whine which came out distorted from his injured throat.

"Well… What do we have here?" She squinted her eyes and stared dangerously at the man she held at knife point. His wide, terrified eyes conveyed exactly how he felt about his current situation. "I don't appreciate being followed by a couple of cutpurses." The man took in a sharp breath and winced as the sharp metal of the dagger drew a tiny sliver of blood.

"We aren't cutpurses, we were just out for a stroll! I swear it!" Chloe glanced at the wooden cudgel laying a foot away from where she was stepping on the second man's wrist. She glanced back up at the man and he swallowed audibly.

"Right…" She looked at the man struggling under her boot, he stopped shuffling around once their eyes met. "You should know that being a thief is a very dangerous job." She punctuated her words by putting more weight on the man's wrist and pressing the knife harder against the other's throat. "You never know who you could encounter." Chloe turned her head towards Max with a smile and nodded it slightly towards the two men she held captive. The witch raised an eyebrow and mouthed  _'no'_. The two terrified men were oblivious to the silent exchange as Chloe mouthed back  _'please'_ when Max shook her head. The hunter finally pulled out the trump card and mouthed  _'for me?'_

Max rolled her eyes with an annoyed smile and she walked out of the darkness towards the small group. The hunter glanced at the men to make sure they were still held tightly and saw them stiffen visibly as they got a good look at the witch. Chloe frowned in confusion for a moment until she looked back at Max. She almost lost her grip on her dagger and her mouth dropped open in fright before she remembered who was standing in front of her.

Max's eyes shined bright red in the darkness and she smiled in an unnaturally wide way. It revealed two rows of long, thin sharpened teeth that stood a good inch in length inside her mouth. The witch's features were contorted and a faint red spectral aura appeared around her as she tilted her head and opened wide towards one of the cutpurses. She had no feet and it looked like she was floating a foot in the air. Her clothing was made of white dirty rags that hung off her in torn sections. Max raised a gnarled hand with sharp nails that ended in jagged, needle like points and the man Chloe held started to whimper and shake at the knees. Chloe didn't blame him. The sight was horrifying and she felt like turning tail and running far away despite the fact that she knew it was Max standing in front of her.  _"AND SHE TELLS ME NOT TO GO TOO ROUGH ON THEM!"_

"How  _dare_  you try to steal from me!" The voice from the illusion was shrill and raspy and the man below Chloe wasted no time ripping his arm free of her boot to run off with a terrified wail. Chloe released the one she held at knife point but he was too petrified to run. Max brought her hand closer to his face and he finally regained his bearings and turned on his heels running, he fell over multiple times as he carelessly tried to put as much distance as he could between himself and the witch. Max burst out laughing once he was out of ear shot but she was still wearing the illusion and Chloe cringed as the laughter came out in horrible screeches. The figure calmed down after a few moments when she noticed that the hunter hadn't spoken or moved. "Chloe?" The witch reached out a hand and Chloe backed away a step involuntarily, eyes wide. The figure looked down at herself and the illusion dispelled as suddenly as it had appeared. The short brunette stood with a broad smile on her face and chuckling madly.

"What was that?" Chloe cleared her throat when her voice came out shakily.

"You wanted me to scare them." Max replied to the hunter as if it was the most natural thing in the world to turn into a spectral creature from the depths of nightmares.

"Yeah! Like making a small flame appear in your palm or something... Gods, Max. That was terrifying! I'm pretty sure those men would've rather had me break all of the bones in their bodies over facing whatever the hell that was! You scared the hell out of me and  _I_   _knew_  it was you!"

"It wasn't that bad!"

"On top of that, I told you not to strain yourself with your powers, just small things here and there. You can't tell me an illusion that large didn't tap into your energy reserves." Chloe crossed her arms and huffed when no reply was voiced. Max approached closer, still wearing a small grin and when the hunter refused to meet her gaze, the brunette raised a hand to cup her cheek. She guided Chloe's head so that they could lock eyes.

"I'm sorry. I may have gone a bit too far. Forgive me?" The hunter took a deep deliberate breath and forcibly tried to regain her composure.

"I suppose…" She cracked a small smile as well and leaned in for a kiss when Max's eyes grew bright red again. The hunter stumbled back with a yelp and fell to the ground on her bottom while Max doubled over laughing once more. Chloe grumbled her discontentment but she couldn't help the annoyed smile tugging at her lips when she looked at the exuberant witch. She got up to her feet shakily and slapped her lightly on the arm. " _Ha. Ha. Ha._  Max. Bloody hilarious!" she stated sarcastically.

"I thought so." Max snaked an arm back around the hunter's waist and snuggled closer to her side. "Let's go. I'd like to catch up with Vic and Kate and grab a couple hours of sleep if possible. We really went out all night." Max stared up at the starry night sky.

"It was fun though." Chloe leaned her head closer to the witch and they looked at one another for a long moment.

"Mmmhm… That it was."

* * *

Despite what they had thought, Max and Chloe managed to beat the other pair of women to the camp and so, they decided to tend to a small fire and wait for their two friends to come back from their scouting mission. The wait hadn't been too long, only a half hour or so, and it had been far from a tedious test of patience. The couple had found an enjoyable way to pass the time and before they knew it, a sharp whistle rang in the night to announce Kate and Victoria's arrival. Chloe broke away from the kiss to glare at Victoria who simply stretched with her arms extended above her head before sitting down cross-legged at her right.

"How was the scouting trip?" Max's breathy voice sprung up from Chloe's right. Kate settled herself down on Max's left, the blonde was rubbing her legs. They were probably sore from spending a long period of time in one place without much movement. Long scouting sessions always stiffened up muscles if you didn't take proper care to avoid it.

"It was clearly less enjoyable then  _your_  night out, I'd say." Chloe smacked her fellow hunter on the leg and Victoria smirked in amusement before her tone dropped to one of business. "Kate. You're up." Three sets of eyes turned to the blonde who simply stared back wide-eyed, hands frozen in the middle of massaging her calves.

"What?"

"The scouting mission we just did. Report. Stat." Kate's face flushed and she opened and closed her mouth without uttering a sound. "Did you forget everything already?"

"N... No. Of course not. I just thought that you'd be the one relaying everything since you're more used to it." Victoria sighed and ran a hand through her short hair.

"Now's not the time to be shy. Everyone has to start somewhere Kate. Give them the report with as much relevant detail as you can remember. Keep it brief and simple. The most important part of a scout report is to filter the useless information from the pertinent one. Give too much information and you'll saturate the report until it feels like a bloated mess, give too little and you look incompetent and risk making your information seem untrustworthy. I'll interject when you forget to mention something that should be brought to light or if you happen to go on a tangent." Kate looked overwhelmed for a moment with her wide eyes and Chloe couldn't help but laugh. Max gave her a glare and Chloe tried her best to muffle her amusement at the blonde's predicament. It brought back memories of her very first official scouting report given to a lord who was looking for information about his brother's whereabouts. She had made it so detailed and long that the man had thrown her out, convinced that she was making up a story for the sake of getting a few coins. Kate looked lost in thought for a moment but she eventually shook her head and nodded.

"Alright. Umm…" Kate looked between Chloe and Max before finally settling her gaze on the hunter and sitting a bit more straight-backed. "So we went to the target's camp and trailed the man with the orange eyes all the way to a bar." Chloe interrupted the blonde with a question of her own.

"How many allies does the target have with him?" Kate fidgeted with her hands and looked at Victoria who simply shrugged.

"Uhhh…" Chloe continued on once it was clear that the blonde had no idea. She figured she may as well offer up some pointers as well to the beginner.

"Always look at the number of horses they have tied up next to the camp. It gives a good starting point on the number of men that are riding with your targets. You should never take that as your final number but it's still a very accurate way of gauging the minimum amount of enemies since almost no target will travel with more horses then men." Kate nodded appreciatively.

"Four horses."

"So a minimum of four men." Chloe looked at Victoria who nodded in confirmation.

"I didn't see signs of more than four men although it's possible that they split up into two groups and left one in the village. They did bring an odd amount of rations with them. Way more than necessary, that's for bloody sure." The short haired hunter looked back at Kate. "Keep going."

"So we looked over the encampment for a while and the man with the quarterstaff finally got up and left to go to the village, he brought along two of his three men. The last kept watch over their belongings."

"Were they executioners?" Chloe questioned.

"I didn't see any crimson armor." Kate looked at Victoria. "What do you think?"

"No executioners. They moved like soldiers. I'd say they were probably just grunts working under Lord Senam. Makes sense with what we know of the orange eyed man, he clearly dislike the Raven Knight for some reason so I doubt he would take along some of his men with him." Chloe nodded thoughtfully. Max laid herself down on the ground with her head on Chloe's lap, her body sideways to the fire. The brunette sighed contentedly and closed her eyes when Chloe unconsciously started to play with tufts of her soft brown hair. Kate once again picked off where she had left off.

"We trailed him all the way to a small secluded bar called  _The Kobold Den._ He stayed inside for almost three hours while his two men kept guard around the corner in an alleyway. The two watched everybody that came near the entrance but never engaged even the ones that went inside. Once it got dark and closer to midnight, I followed them back to the camp where they sat by a campfire and split rations between themselves."

"I?" Chloe stared at Victoria with a hard gaze. "You left her alone?" The other hunter shrugged.

"I knew she could handle it and someone needed to pry some information from the barkeep at The Kobold Den. I didn't think Kate was experienced enough to pull that off without triggering his suspicion." Chloe grimaced. It was a good reason if not a bit risky.

"Did you find out why he went to that specific bar?" Victoria nodded.

"Max was right. He's waiting on a seeker to come back and let him know that his message was passed along. Apparently he was looking for someone who could get a message sent all the way to Arcadia. The message won't get there for some time though, weeks at best as it's traded from seeker to seeker towards its destination. The barkeep told me that the seeker's services would only be available tomorrow night so it looks like we have one day to strike out at him before he gets the news and takes off once more." Max, still with her eyes closed and her head resting on Chloe's legs, lifted both her hands in the air in a gesture of mock victory.

"I'm always right." Chloe rolled her eyes and flicked the brunette's nose, Max smacked her leg in retaliation. Kate chuckled at the exchange and spoke up once more.

"They didn't move from the camp for hours and then they went to sleep. It was bloody boring and all it did was make my legs fall asleep and make my muscles cramp up." Victoria and Chloe exchanged a knowing look. They'd both scouted in worse conditions for far longer than the amount of time Kate had been forced to. Chloe once even remembered a rainy night where she had stayed prone on the ground, ready for the perfect shot, it had taken almost a full day. That had been the by far the most uncomfortable she'd ever been and she hadn't been able to stand on her feet for a good thirty minutes after she'd finally pulled the trigger. She'd also been horribly sick for a good couple of weeks following that contract and Rachel hadn't let her hear the end of it.

"Is that all? Anything more that I should know about?"

"Kate covered the majority of it. There's a few things here and there that I'll fill you in on tomorrow but nothing pressing or that important. You did a good job." Victoria directed the last comment at the beaming blonde.

"Alright then. We need to kill him tomorrow. Vic did you spot a good area where I can take him down from a distance?" The hunter nodded.

"I found you a good spot with a slight incline and a direct line of sight on their campfire." Kate's eyes shot between the two hunters. Noticing her distress, Chloe raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

"What is it Kate?"

"I don't want to do it this way. It feels wrong." Chloe sighed in exasperation.

"I thought we cleared this up. We talked about this."

"No we didn't. You both just kept on saying that it was what we were doing. You never bothered to listen to me. Chloe… He let us leave the castle. He didn't kill us and he kept his word not to send men after us. We should talk to him."

"Kate, Max still isn't a hundred percent ready and neither is Madsen or Pompidou. Victoria is a liability more than she is help against him with that damn metal fist of hers. How do you expect us to have a friendly chat with him? I distinctively remember him saying he would kill us all if he saw us again. If things go wrong, we won't stand a chance."

"Then… Then… I don't know Chloe. It just doesn't feel right to kill him without finding out  _why_. I want to know  _why_  he let me go,  _why_  he let us all go. He killed one of the High Lord's generals for us, the least we can do is offer him a chance to explain himself. Maybe we'll even be able to sway him to our side. I don't think it's that far out of the realm of possibilities. He's already proven that he doesn't care about the side he's on. If we can figure out his motivation, I  _know_  we can turn him." Chloe rubbed her forehead and exhaled sharply. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, she felt frustrated as all hell. The hunter felt Max sit back up and the witch grabbed her hand to give it a slight comforting squeeze. Chloe looked at Victoria who shrugged as if to say  _'it's your call'_. She looked at Kate, she could see the desperation in the woman's eyes.  _"You have to trust her instincts sometime. God, I hope I'm not wrong with this."_

"We ambush him tomorrow night. Madsen and you take down the man at their camp while Vic and I handle the two at the bar and then the target himself. We knock him out the instant he steps out." She looked at Victoria intently. "We knock him out  _hard_. I don't care if his skull cracks open on the way down but we make damn sure he stay out. We'll bring him back to the camp and get rid of all our weapons. Metal fist, blades, swords, crossbows, big rocks… Anything at all that he could use against us with his bloody powers. We'll have Madsen shift and hold on to his neck. He even breathes the wrong way and he gets decapitated. That's the only way I agree to do this. Kate breathed out in relief.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I won't hesitate to kill him a dozen times over along the way if I feel threatened at all. We'll try Kate. For you. But don't go into this expecting answers. He might not want to cooperate or he might try to fight back. We won't know until we have him in our grasp." Kate nodded solemnly and Victoria nodded appreciatively. "Now kick some sand over the fire and go to bed. We need rest and clear minds for tomorrow."


	43. Tink!

_Tink!_

Chloe's eyes followed the silver coin as it left her thumbnail and spun in the air carelessly before falling into her open palm once more. The morning air was humid but brought along a sense of calmness that she enjoyed for the most part. She hadn't woken up hungover at least, she had stopped drinking last night long enough to sober up before crashing down to the ground next to Max. Still, she felt bored and slightly irritable.

_Tink!_

Nobody else was awake right now to offer up a distraction she could latch onto. The hunter had also woken up to a dull throb in her knee and a quick inspection had shown her a nice sized blue bruise and a small rip in the fabric of her new pair of pants. She'd untangled herself from the sleeping witch with care and almost ruined it all with a pained shout when she'd put weight on the joint. It had taken a few hobbling steps to get herself close enough to the remains of the fire.

_Tink!_

Remains was the right word. The fire had gone out during the night and not even one orange coal remained. She was cold and damp from the morning dew and her knee wouldn't let her stand up to get the flint and steel in Shadow's packsaddle. All in all, Chloe was unhappy with her current predicament.

_Tink!_

She eyed the Impact's sleeping form further away and made an executive decision. Chloe reached for a small pebble and threw it with expert precision into the back of his head. The big man instantly scrambled on his side, pale white skin giving way to green metallic scales as his eyes searched for the immediate threat. Madsen frowned once his eyes connected with the hunter's. At least she wasn't the only one awake now, maybe she could convince the Impact to get her some food.

_Tink!_

"Can you  _please_ , for the love of all that is holy, stop  _flicking_  that bloody coin!?" Kate's voice. Chloe let the coin fall into her palm and smiled smugly at the blonde who shoved aside her blanket to sit up. Kate's long hair was a tangled mess and the woman looked back at her with irritation lacing her features. She rubbed her red eyes and scowled when Chloe burst out laughing. "Seriously Chloe! It's been over thirty minutes that I've been trying to shut out that noise and get back to sleep."

"And what the hell did you throw a rock at my head for?" Madsen's voice, suddenly very close to her ears, made Chloe turn her head to see the Impact sit down with a grunt. His bandaged leg was fully extended towards the unlit fire pit, at least it didn't look as if he'd broken open the stiches yesterday like Warren had guessed he would.

"It was a pebble, not a rock, Madsen. Don't be so dramatic." The Impact's lips tugged upwards in a small exasperated smile and he exhaled good humoredly as he ran a hand over his thick mustache. Chloe grinned back at him. This was why she liked the man so much, he took almost everything in stride. In her opinion, it was an attitude that not enough people had. People like Kate for example.

"Chloe! I'm exhausted and so is the rest of our group. Couldn't you wait another couple of hours before waking us all up?" The hunter kept her cheerful disposition as she reached for Kate's bag and threw her the brush that laid in its side pocket. The blonde caught it out of the air before giving her a tiny nod of thanks.

"Nope. We have a big day ahead of us remember? And we can't until later tonight since we don't know what hour the seeker will get back at. We strike as early as possible, I want us ready within the next two hours if possible." Kate groaned loudly at the words as she sleepily ran the brush through her hair. It caught a couple of times and Chloe chuckled as the blonde struggled to take a small twig out of a tangled tuft of hair.

"Fine. But if I don't get to sleep…" Kate trailed off and kicked Victoria's boot hard with her own. The short haired hunter instantly rolled to her side, eyes glazed over as she quickly moved to one knee and pointed her stump towards the offending woman with her right hand hovering where the trigger on her metal fist normally would be. Kate smiled with a satisfied expression as Victoria's features took on a look of confusion. Victoria squinted and finally rubbed at her eyes before scowling and mumbling something under her breath.

"…bloody lucky I didn't have  _Siuant_ on me right now… That'd teach you to bloody wake me up like that…" Kate smirked back at Victoria.

"I saw you take it off last night so I wasn't overly worried." Victoria stretched and playfully kicked Kate's foot aside as she drowsily passed by the woman to get to her own bag. Victoria took out the metal fist and placed it under her left arm as she reached for a small bundle of dried provisions with her right. She walked a few paces and fell to the ground on her bottom instead of lowering herself with grace. Victoria placed the metal fist next to her hip and rubbed slow circles at the nub where her left arm ended abruptly. The skin was still a bit of a mangled mess caused by its sudden cauterization, although it was now much less offending to the eye than it had been before the woman had reached Frauy. Max had long ago managed to at least partially heal the stump's skin to make it smoother than it had been before. Victoria chewed on some dried apricots with a look of concentration, her movements were very sluggish and she didn't look fully awake yet.

"Max…" Kate gently shook the witch awake. The brunette blinked several times before finally bringing herself to a sitting position and yawning broadly in the crook of her arm. Max was no longer wearing the purple dress she had been yesterday. Unlike Chloe, she'd taken the time to get dressed in her regular clothing before going to sleep. Victoria picked up a heavy rock and threw it at the yellow wagon a bit further away from the rest of the group. It connected with a loud  _thump_ and was followed by unintelligible shouting coming from the tinkerer residing within.

"You really should stop doing that Vic. Look at his door, it's looking a little rough." Chloe pointed to the entrance of the wagon. It was now scuffed and chipped from the many rocks thrown at it every morning of the last few weeks. Victoria's preferred way of waking up the tinkerer was certainly leaving its mark. Victoria shrugged noncommittally.

"It needed a new coat of paint anyways."

It took a good five or so minutes before the group was all fully dressed and awake around the newly lit fire. The warmth had quickly brought up Chloe's spirits and she was absently smiling as Max leaned into her side and laid her head down on the hunter's right shoulder. Kate was currently cooking some eggs in a pan over the fire, it was the blonde's turn to be the cook for breakfast. Chloe preferred it that anyways, Kate was miles ahead of everyone else as far as preparing food went. She was convinced that the blonde could make anything taste good, even if it was just a stick of charcoal and some dried leaves. Max breathed in slowly before yawning once more.

"Still tired?" she asked the brunette.

"Mmmhm. And my feet are still sore from all the dancing and standing around yesterday." Max grinned. "It was still the best night I've had in months though."

"You think you could do me a small favor?" Chloe felt Max nodding on her shoulder.

"Of course, anything…" Chloe reached over to her swollen and bruised knee before lifting up the fabric of her leather pants. She had struggled into her hunter attire not long ago before Warren had joined them at the camp fire. The tinkerer sat next to Madsen right now, both men were talking actively about going out gambling later tonight after the mission. "Chloe, what happened?" Max's hand gently brushed the purple bruise and the Chloe scowled at the sensitivity of it.

"I think I knocked it when I stopped you from falling over yesterday. You think you could spare a bit of energy to heal it? I can't stand on it properly." Just as she finished her sentence, a strong numbness overtook the injured joint and Chloe watched as the color and swelling faded from her knee to be replaced by healthy looking flesh. The hunter spared a glance for the witch during the process to make sure it wasn't proving too difficult or strenuous for Max. The brunette reached for Chloe's injured side but she quickly grabbed Max's hand and intertwined their fingers instead. "Don't. I just wanted the essential healed. You still need rest. Your shoulder and head healing properly is my top priority."

"Chloe… I'll be alright."

"Give it a couple more days and then I'll let you do it alright? I don't want to take the chance." She gave the brunette her best stern look and Max acquiesced.

"Fine. But I'm holding you to that."

"That's fair."

"So do you want to talk about that hunting  _'business'_  that happened yesterday?" Chloe frowned momentarily before the flood of memories hit her. She had completely forgotten about her discussion with the woman named Steph after her date and the events that followed. Chloe reached for her pocket and took out the large metallic coin that she had been flipping in the air earlier. She turned it over to expose the side with the engraved hand, palm forward, with four jagged cuts in its center. She passed it over to Max and accepted two plates of eggs and ham from Kate. She carefully placed them to the side as the witch inspected the coin.

"What is it? I don't recognize the marking."

"Neither do I. That bartender I was talking with gave it to me. She told me that she was heading to Arcadia to take part in the chaos happening down there." Those words managed to catch the rest of the group's attention. Madsen and Warren stopped talking and both Victoria and Kate turned their heads towards her.

"Why would a bartender want to get involved with that?" Warren asked questioningly. Chloe shrugged.

"I don't really know. She said she was part of a group and that they were all going to go to Arcadia. She's not really a bartender though. She was just getting odd jobs to pay her way towards the capital. She gave me that coin and said that she wanted to hire me on behalf of her group. Something about being a great asset to their ' _cause'_  although I'm not sure what that could be. Whatever it is, they're up to no good. She looked genuinely excited to join the trouble down there and I doubt she wants my services for peaceful reasons. That symbol is their group's way of finding each other I guess."

"You think she's with the High Lord?" Chloe shook her head at Madsen's question.

"No. It's something else entirely."

"She could just be part of a mercenary band or a thief guild looking to profit while the city is in chaos." Victoria spoke with a thoughtful frown on her face.

"Maybe. But again, why would a thief guild or mercenary unit need a hunter of my caliber? I'm a top tier assassin, what use would I be to them?"

"You think it's possible that she's heading down there for the same reason as we are? Think about it, if they're looking to topple the High Lord Prescott, they could definitely use someone like you. Why else would she need a hunter? The only people that I could see of high enough importance to have a contract placed on their head would be Prescott's generals and the man himself." Kate spoke up excitedly as she finished the last two plates of food and settled down next to Victoria to eat. Chloe mulled over the blonde's words as she chewed on a particularly rough slice of ham.

"Perhaps…" She reached for the coin and Max placed it in her hand. Then she threw it on the other side of the fire, next to the four other members of the group. Warren was the first to scoop it up and he glanced at it for a barely a moment before passing it along the row. Neither Madsen nor Victoria seemed to recognize the symbol either. The short haired hunter finally passed the coin to Kate whose hazel eyes widened like saucers as she fumbled with the object. Chloe immediately perked up at the reaction. "Kate?" The blonde sat dumbfounded as she ran a thumb slowly over the engraved hand. "You know what that is?"

"I… I guess." She didn't glance away from the coin though. Kate was frowning down at the object. "My…" She cleared her throat. "My father had one of these. They're exactly the same." Victoria's eyebrow rose and she exchanged a perplexed glance with Chloe. Max was now leaning forward intently.

"What?" The one word question slipped from Chloe's lips unconsciously. "Your father had one of these coins?"

"Yeah. He always told me it was his good luck charm. He kept it on him at all times."

"So your father was a part of this group that contacted Chloe?" Warren ran a hand through his hair as he spoke. The revelation had stunned the group, Kate was particularly affected. The blonde was still frowning as she shook her head.

"No… Of course not. He was a pacifist. This group is heading down to Arcadia to cause trouble. Not to mention that they want to hire a hunter. My father would never associate himself with cold blooded killers. Those kinds of people always disgusted him." Kate suddenly glanced up at Victoria with wide eyes, mouth open slightly in shock. "I… I didn't mean." She looked to Chloe. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to say. It came out wrong."

"Don't worry about it Kate." Victoria's soft words made the blonde's head whip back.

"No.  _No_." She reached for Victoria's shoulder. "He was wrong about hunters. There's so much more to the both of you that meets the eye. I'm sure if he could see all that you've done for me he would change his mind instantly. I just meant that he couldn't be a part of a group like this. He wouldn't."

"Are you sure Kate? Why else would he have one of those coins? He clearly knew it meant something since he kept it." Kate shook her head more violently at Victoria's question.

"He wouldn't. There's no way. Maybe he just found it on a street corner or… I don't know." The two hunters exchanged a look of cautious disbelief.  _"Doesn't sound like Richard Marsh to be involved in something like this but you never know. It wouldn't be the first time a man has hidden a part of himself from his family. Why else would he have one of those?"_ Neither of them voiced their concern though. It was clear that simply the implication that her father could be a part of the group was deeply troubling to Kate.  _"What were you hiding Richard?"_

"It doesn't matter." Chloe spoke up as she motioned for Kate to throw the coin back to her. The blonde did as she asked and the hunter pocketed the object once more. "We won't be in Arcadia for a while. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I'll get answers to our questions once inside the capital."

"How long until we actually make our way to the capital Chloe?" Madsen asked quietly. "We've done good work tracking down Prescott's generals but we don't have a lead on anybody so far. What do we do after today?" Max shifted next to the hunter. The brunette spoke up, answering the question before Chloe could.

"That's not actually correct. Not entirely anyways. I do have one lead on another of his generals. After we take him out though, I have nothing left."

"Well… Let's see." Chloe mulled over her thoughts out loud, voice deep in concentration. "We have three generals inside of the capital." She raised her fingers on her hands to count them out for the group. "The Raven Knight, the High Lord's enchantress and the mercenary leader in charge of Prescott's personal army." Three fingers stood extended to the sky. "Now, Lord Frederick was killed in Beorf by the Raven for his failure to end Max, Vic, Kate and myself. Lord Kessal was beheaded by Kate in Beorf during Victoria's rescue attempt and Lord Senam was thrown off a tower in Fireheart Castle by the orange eyed man. So… Three dead generals and three alive hiding in Arcadia." Chloe now held up six fingers. "Max says she can bring us to another general." She glanced at the brunette who simply nodded. "That leaves Bokeh who was last seen in Beorf. His whereabouts are unknown and we're unlikely to find out where he is residing. Hell… He might even be Arcadia right about now."

"I doubt it." All heads turned to Madsen. "Think about it. The Raven was exiled for failing the High Lord all the way back in Beorf when he was ordered to kill you all. Bokeh managed to screw up in an arguably worse fashion. He threw the city into civil chaos by killing Richard Marsh and his family, then imprisoning Kate and torturing her. It turned the entire population against him." Kate shivered and stiffened at the words. Victoria reached out a comforting hand to lay on the blonde's leg. "He killed Frank but failed to eliminate the rest of us when he had overwhelmingly strong odds against us." Chloe's hand tightened involuntarily into a fist and she only let up once she realized she was crushing Max's hand. She glanced apologetically to the brunette who simply smiled sadly. "He also got Lord Kessal killed indirectly. Or at least, he failed to protect him while he was in charge of the operation." Madsen exhaled loudly and ran a hand through his short hair. "No. If the High Lord was willing to exile his own son for failing in a lesser manner, then I think it's safe to assume that Bokeh received a punishment of the same or worse quality. I doubt he's residing in Arcadia."

"It still doesn't help us though. If he's not in Arcadia then he could be  _anywhere_!" Kate's voice was tinged with anger. Chloe found herself mirroring the woman's rage. She  _would_  get revenge on the man for killing Frank. Of that, she was absolutely certain.

"The quarterstaff wielding man was added to the list as well and the High Lord Prescott of course but we already know exactly where both of those bloody men are. So…" Chloe looked around as she spoke. "We had ten targets. Three are dead. Four are in the capital. One is unknown. One is in our grasp. And Max knows where the last is. We deal with the one right under our nose today then go after the one Max can lead us towards. I don't think we have much of a choice afterwards. We'll need to enter the capital and start taking them down from the inside."

"That means we could be in the capital in as short a time as two weeks" Madsen stated.

"He'll be ready for us. Prescott must know that we are coming after his generals and if he hasn't figured it out yet, he will when the seeker's message reaches Arcadia. It's going to be hard to sneak in the capital." Warren spoke up with a worried demeanor.

"We'll figure it out later. Let's keep on taking things one at a time. First we deal with today." Victoria's voice left no room for objections, not that there were any. "Blue. Are you ready?" Chloe nodded in the affirmative. "Kate, Madsen?" Both got up and set their empty plates aside. Victoria was already in the process of strapping the metal fist to her stump securely, running the thick leather straps up her left arm. "Good. We split up and meet back here as soon as possible. You both take down the man at their camp. Kill him and hide the body in the forest. Take anything from their bags that could prove useful. Rations, weapons, clues, information…You get the gist of it. Bring it back here and stuff it in Warren's wagon. Then wait for us."

"What are you and Chloe planning?" Warren asked. "And what are Max and I supposed to do?"

"You both do nothing. I won't have Max risk further injury when she's at her weakest. As for you…" Chloe trailed off. The tinkerer nodded solemnly, he knew why he wasn't taking place in this. "Vic and I will go to The Kobold Den and ambush our target as soon as he steps out and we know we aren't under surveillance. We can't kill the two guards though. It's too risky and we can't leave their bodies lying about in an alley. We'll probably end up bringing them back here alive and keeping them captive. It might prove useful too, maybe they'll give up information for the chance to leave." Max's eyebrow rose in surprise at the hunter's words.

"You'd let them leave?" Chloe shook her head.

"Of course not, Max. But they don't know that. We can't let them loose to give away our locations and we can't bring them with us. It's unfortunate but we are at war. We'll see if they'll give any information and then… I'll deal with them."

"What about the man with the orange eyes?" Kate asked worriedly.

"I'll try my best Kate. I gave you my word,  _we_   _will_   _try_  to get him on our side. But if worse comes to worse… I'll bury him next to the other two myself." Kate nodded.

"All I ask is to give him a chance. We owe him.  _I_  owe him."

* * *

The Kobold Den was secluded in a small western corner of the large village. It took both hunters a good twenty five minutes to reach it and another ten to inconspicuously scout the area and identify the two guards sitting in an alley by its entrance. That hadn't proven to be too hard. Despite the fact that neither man wore armor, it was abundantly clear to Chloe that they were soldiers of some sort. It was all in the way they carried themselves, straight back, chin up, eyes that scanned the crowd for possible threats every dozen seconds. The hunter admired their dedication, she had seen soldiers forced into guard positions before and most became very sloppy as time passed with no action. Neither of these men qualified as that, they were patient and hardened veterans.

Victoria motioned silently with her hand and both hunters sprinted down to the shaded area of a house. Chloe didn't like the fact that the sun was high up in the sky. She felt exposed, the night was her element. In the darkness she could succumb to its embrace and become one with the shadows. The sun, however, made her jittery. Despite the fact that this section of the village was secluded and apparently quite unfrequented, it was still a possibility to have someone wander in on them as they took down their targets. That would cause chaos and they'd be forced to flee. Chloe had a simple plan for that scenario if it so happened. If Victoria and she were spotted, Chloe would kill the three men and flee. There would be no thoughts of captives at that point.

Victoria stood flat against the side of the house that bordered the alley the two soldier were in. That was her job. Victoria was supposed to give the all clear to take down the guards when she was assured that they wouldn't be interrupted. Chloe had her two daggers unsheathed and she quietly flexed her wrists around the two sturdy hilts. There were a lot of unpredictable factors to taking men alive. They could scream and shout warning even with their lives on the line. They could fight back, forcing the hunters to kill them swiftly. They could also surrender and abide by their commands. It all depended on which part of the soldier was victorious in its inner battle, the side that wanted to live or the side that commandeered their loyalty to their cause. Chloe hoped they wouldn't prove to be too much trouble. While veterans tended to be more fiercely loyal than younger soldiers, they also were much smarter about evaluating their chances in a fight. They'd hopefully see that there was no reason to fight a battle they had already lost. Victoria's hand gave the signal as a short woman turned the corner and headed back to the main road. Chloe waited until her fellow hunter rejoined her and nodded.

As one, both hunters turned the corner and ran the few paces to get to the men. The soldiers reacted instantly. The first tried pulling his dagger from his sheath, he was smart enough to realize that his sword would do him no good in these close quarters. The second soldier wasn't as smart. Chloe reached him as he got his sword halfway unsheathed. The blue-scarred hunter slammed her left fist over his hand, effectively ramming the sword back down into its sheath. Victoria dealt with the first man holding a dagger. The short haired hunter batted his hand away with her metal fist. Chloe heard something break in the man's hand and he opened his mouth to yell. He never got a word out as Victoria followed it up with a punch in the sternum. Her foe doubled over. Chloe grabbed her right dagger and sliced at the man she held. The sharp blade slit his throat, it was a quick cut and she stopped herself in the middle of the motion as she slammed his back into the brick wall. Blood was seeping from the light wound and Chloe got very close to his face. She could feel his warm, ragged breath on her face as she spoke in his ear.

"Don't move. Don't shout. Do you know who I am?" She backed her face a hand span away so his eyes could lock onto her glowing blue scar. The soldier nodded grimly. "You've lost this bout. You do as I say now. I won't hesitate to kill you if you cause any problems. Cooperate and you live, understood?" The man nodded again as realization of his situation dawned over his face. Chloe nodded to Victoria who had just given a similar spiel to her target. That quickly, within seconds, the fight was over. "The man inside, your commander, how long has he been in there?" The man held at knife point kept his hands against the wall as Chloe untied his sword sheath from his belt and let it fall to the ground. She continued on to his dagger as she waited for his response. The man didn't speak and Chloe smiled softly to herself.  _"Of course… He's definitely a veteran."_ She pressed the dagger further into his flesh and the man grunted. "You can speak but be wary of your words and your tone."

"An hour." A quick response, direct and to the point.

"How long is he staying in there?"

"Until his seeker comes back." Chloe glanced at Victoria. The short haired hunter had her metal fist crushing her foe's windpipe and her dagger pointed straight to his gut. She stared back at the stoic soldier in front of her.

"Can you get him out?" A deep frown look overcame the man's features.

"I won't do it."

"Is that so?" She slid the dagger ever so slightly, blood trickled down his neck and into his undershirt at a faster rate. Any more pressure and she would slice open his throat, there would be no coming back from that. He swallowed, pain evident in his eyes. "Vic."

"Yes?"

"Keep him against the wall, will you?" Victoria shifted over and pointed her metal fist at Chloe's quarry. The dagger in her right hand went up against her own target's throat.

"Look at me." The man at the other side of her fist locked eyes with Victoria. "This metal fist was made by a tinkerer. It's so strong that it'll melt the inside of your skull the instant I fire it. You do any wrong move and I'll drop you." That was a bluff. The metal fist needed another hand to be triggered in the first place. However, the soldier didn't know any better. His dark eyes roamed over the blue glowing weapon and he nodded. Chloe grabbed a large rock that fit comfortably in her hand. She would be taking no chances.

"I'll open the door a slight bit and you call for him to come out. Tell him you spotted something of interest to him." The soldier nodded again. The tavern was small, Chloe had no doubt that the target inside would hear the man's voice. She slowly pushed the door open from the corner of the alley, careful to hide her hand from sight. She glanced at the soldier.

"Hev! Come out. There's rumors that the Blue Hunter is somewhere inside the village. We need to talk." Chloe let the door close and quickly dashed to the other side of the door, away from the alley.

The small path was still deserted and devoid of life. She heard the loud scrape of a chair through the wooden door as well as some exchanged words before the door opened. A tall man stepped out of the tavern. He was wearing the same black, dirty brimmed hat she'd seen on him the night she'd spent in Fireheart Castle. A black cloak obscured his back, letting only the bottom of his brown leather pants and tall boots stick out. A ceremonial dagger stood sheathed at his side and he carried his long quarterstaff in his right hand. His face was obscured by the same black cloth that stopped prying eyes from seeing anything below his nose. She couldn't see his eyes but Chloe didn't need to. She knew instantly that this was the man she was looking for. She waited for the door to swing shut once more and as he took a step forward, towards the alley, she raised her hand and slammed the rock into the back of his head as hard as she felt necessary. It was probably much more than necessary actually, if the way his body instantly crumpled to the floor was any indication. Chloe breathed out a shuddering breath. She only now realized how just the sight of him had made her body go into overdrive. Her hand was shaking slightly from the adrenaline that coursed through her body and she was breathing a bit heavily.

"Vic." Two soldiers stepped out of the alley with her fellow hunter keeping a watch from their back. Victoria's emerald eyes glanced at the form sprawled on the ground and she smiled.

"It's about time something goes exactly according to plan." Chloe chuckled at the other hunter's statement.

"You two." She pointed at the two soldiers. "Grab him and carry him by the shoulders with us. If anyone asks, he got in a drunken fight and you're taking him back to his camp to sleep it off." The two men nodded and Chloe grimaced slightly as she saw the small pool of blood accumulated on the ground. She definitely hit him just a bit too hard. The two captives each grabbed the man by an arm and lifted him. Chloe took a minute to grab a rag from the alley and wipe away the blood as best she could before kicking some sand over the crimson stain. She disposed of the cloth behind a board and lowered the unconscious man's hat over the wound in the back of his head. It was a gash, easily two inches long but thankfully not too deep or wide. She had put more force behind the swing rather than the initial hit so it hadn't just cracked his skull open.

"Play nice and follow us back to our camp and we'll let you go after some questioning. If you try to screw us over, we'll kill the three of you. I doubt anybody here would raise a finger against us in your defense anyways." Victoria spoke with an air of certainty as she directed the group down the street. Chloe followed from behind with a hand resting lightly over the small crossbow at her belt.

* * *

Chloe finished looping the rope through the hole and she tightened the knot with the aid of her left foot. She walked a few steps away with a satisfied smile. The two soldier they'd taken captive were tied solidly to the tree near the extinguished fire. They both glared daggers at the hunter but Chloe brushed it off as she made her way to Madsen. The Impact was currently in the process of tying up four new horses to various surrounding trees. The horses were unconcerned with the big man's activity as they grazed at the grass.

"So how did your side of it go?"

"Smoothly. Kate shot an arrow straight through the man's throat before he even had a chance to move. I dragged his body into the forest and hid it under some branches."

"You get anything good from their camp? Anything interesting I mean?" Madsen shook his head.

"No. Just the four horses, some extra rations and some stuff we could use. Vic was right, they had  _way_  more than necessary. They must've been planning a very long trip to require so many provisions and spare equipment for just four men. I left the rest behind. I figure some opportunistic thieves will take care of the mess for us once they see that there's no one watching over the camp."

"At least we won't have to restock our own supplies for some time then. Did you put it all in the wagon?"

"Yes. Warren is organizing it right now. I'm going to go meet up with Victoria and Kate, I should be there in case he wakes up." Chloe smirked.

"I don't think he'll be waking up anytime soon. I smacked him over the head with a rock."

"Still, no reason to risk it." With that said, the Impact walked deeper into the forest. He was making his way towards a clearing that they'd selected before heading off on their mission. It had been cleared of rocks, branches and anything else that could be used as a weapon by someone with telekinetic powers.

Kate and Victoria were already over in the clearing, watching over the man that had been identified as Hev. Both had left their weapons behind inside of Warren's nomadic wagon. Short swords, arrows, short bow, metal fist and dagger had been added to Chloe's myriad of weapons inside a locked chest. The hunter felt naked as she patted herself down. It had been a long time since she'd refrained from carrying any weapons. It was a terrible feeling, knowing that any thug with a cudgel instantly had her at a disadvantage. But it was necessary. Hev had shown that he was a threat as long as there was even one weapon in the general vicinity. Confronting him with none would give him no opportunity to escape or injure them in the slightest. Madsen would be their ace in the hole. The Impact could easily take down the man if he tried anything, perk of being a living weapon she supposed.

"It's going to be alright." The soft voice was soon followed by a set of arms that embraced the hunter from behind. Chloe turned, still in the witch's hold, so they could look at each other properly.

"I know it is. It's irrational but it just feels like everything happened too smoothly." Max raised an amused eyebrow.

"Don't the majority of your contracts go smoothly?" Chloe grimaced.

"Well, yes. But that's because I spent days scouting and making plans. Maybe it's just because the last few fights I've been in haven't gone the way I thought they would. It's putting me on edge." She felt the two hands at her waist tighten their hold slightly.

"Do you think Kate's right? You think there's a possibility to turn this guy into an ally?" Chloe mulled over the question for a long extended pause.

"Maybe. There's no harm in trying. We know he defied the Raven and I suspect those scars all over his face and body were by Bokeh's hand. I couldn't see myself ever being loyal to someone who tortured me to that extent… Either way, today we eliminate a threat and that's a victory in and of itself." Max nodded and leaned up to meet the hunter's lips with her own. Chloe closed her eyes and lost herself to the moment. They broke apart and Chloe turned her attention to the tinkerer who was making a show of awkwardly looking away from the intimate moment unfolding in front of him. "Warren." The man turned around and walked over when he noticed that they had separated.

"Yes?"

"I trust you can handle those two, right?" Chloe gestured to the two men tied up against the tree.

"You tied the knots yourself?" Chloe nodded.

"They won't be struggling free I guarantee it."

"Then they shouldn't be much of a problem." Warren smiled with that typical jovial attitude that the hunter had come to associate with him. Chloe reached behind her back and handed him the very last weapon she carried. The tinkerer took the loaded crossbow in his hands.

"Just in case. They may be tied up but they're still enemy captives." She glanced at Max as she handed him two spare bolts. "Protect this one for me, would you? She's prone to getting herself into trouble." Warren looked over the weapon and whistled appreciatively.

"You do know that I'll miss any shot I take with this, don't you?" He grinned as he said it.

"Just don't shoot yourself in the foot and you'll be alright." Chloe ruffled his hair affectionately and she winked at Max as she turned away from the pair and started to walk into the forest.

She reached the clearing after a two minutes stroll and was met with the odd looking group. A man was tied up with his arm behind his back, head leaning against his chest unconsciously in the middle of Madsen, Kate and Victoria. The latter looking the most out of place with only one hand and no weapons. Chloe had asked her to stay behind during the interrogation but Victoria had refused, stating simply that she wanted to be here in case anything went wrong. Chloe didn't see how the injured hunter would be any help but she hadn't voiced her thoughts. It wouldn't do to put down Victoria like that.

"Are you guys ready?" Three sets of eyes locking onto the blue-scarred hunter were followed by murmured agreement. Chloe hesitated for a moment though as she looked at the unconscious man. She bit her lip in thought and reached over to his brimmed hat, revealing a head of soft brown hair. She took it off and threw it to the ground behind her before reaching for the piece of cloth obscuring the bottom half of his face. "Let's see what you really look like…"

She trailed off as the cloth slipped from her grasp and onto the grass at her feet. Chloe's mouth dropped open in horror and she took a step back. Kate looked just as horrified, if not more, while Madsen and Victoria grimaced at the sight. The man's face was mangled and torn up. Besides the dozens of healed scars that made up every exposed part of his skin, he sported very large disturbing wounds on the lower half of his face. They were long healed but ugly in every sense of the way. The flesh looked as it had been melted repeatedly by a hot iron or exposed to fire and left to heal before repeating the process. The skin on his left cheek was even so thin and deformed that Chloe could see the outline of his rows of teeth through the flesh. His right cheek and chin weren't as bad but where smooth skin should've been, was skin of a rough web-like texture. Those wounds combined with the stubble of half a week of not shaving and the two brands of the Raven's sigil on his neck gave the man a sickening, grisly appearance.

"God! What the bloody hell…" Kate uttered through her hand at the sight.

"Damn, he's an ugly one ain't he?" Victoria looked away with a disgusted scowl. Chloe just stayed frozen, speechless.

"You think this is Bokeh's handiwork?" Madsen gruff voice brought up the question that Chloe had just been asking herself. Kate's face paled and the blonde reached up to her own scarred face with a trembling hand.

"You think..? If Vic hadn't gotten me when she did… That he would've…" Kate's voice was filled with pain and her hazel eyes lost in memories long past.

"Don't think about it Kate. It's behind you now. He can't get his hands on you anymore, he  _won't_  get his hands on you  _ever again_." The blonde nodded slowly at Chloe's words. Chloe had initially planned on seeing if the scars were also on the man's chest and arms but at the sight of his face, she decided against prodding further into the man's injuries for fear of revealing even more gruesome scars in front of Kate. The information she would attain from the inspection just wasn't worth it.  _"What the hell happened to him?"_

"Kate. You have the bulb?" The blonde reached in her pocket with a shaky hand and took out the white root.

"It… It might not work Chloe. He looks pretty out of it."

"It'll work…" Chloe hesitated before adding "and if it doesn't, I'll fetch Max and she can heal the back of his head. We try this first though." Kate nodded and looked around the ground.

"Umm… How do I open it? I don't have a knife or a rock and this thing is hard as steel." Chloe looked at the Impact.

"Madsen?"

"On it." The large man  _shifted_  and reached for the bulb. He snapped it in half between two scaled thumbs before moving behind the unconscious man and putting an armored hand around his throat. That was the best plan Chloe had come up with. If he tried anything, Madsen would simply squeeze and decapitate him. Revolting but very effective.

"Wake him up." Kate bent down and placed the leaking bulb under his nose. It took only a few seconds before the powerful scent made the man's eyes crack open. His orange eyes were glazed over and he blinked several times in quick succession as his head moved slowly around the clearing. He groaned in pain at the slight movement until his eyes focused on Chloe's face. Then, as if a switch was flipped, the man's gaze hardened and his vision seemed to clear. His orange eyes bore into her own with a hatred that shook Chloe to her very core. She'd never seen so much rage directed at her before.

"You! I let you live! How dare you?!" The man shouted with a heavy slur around his vowels and Chloe strained her ears to understand him properly. The thick accent once again affirmed her suspicion that he wasn't native to her country. He made to move towards her but Madsen's scaled, sturdy hand didn't let him budge. He looked at Kate and spoke a sentence in a slurred whisper that Chloe couldn't make out. His hard orange gaze went back to Chloe.

"I have questions for you." The man showed no signs of having heard her so Chloe pressed on. "Who are you?" Still nothing. "Why did you let us go?" No reply. Chloe felt herself growing frustrated. "Tell me about the High Lord's generals."

"Please… It's obvious you don't care about the Raven. And your face, your hands… Bokeh did the same thing to you that he did to me. I know he did. Just talk to us, talk to me." Kate's soft voice didn't even make the man turn his head. He just kept his eyes locked onto Chloe's.

"You have no leverage, you're trapped. Let me be very clear. You're going to die if you don't cooperate with me." The man still said nothing. Chloe tapped her thigh twice with her index to give the Impact the signal.  _"Fine, play it that way. Man looks like he's been through hell… Let's see how scared he gets when we threaten him with pain."_  Madsen shifted closer to the man's ear and spoke up.

"I can get that information out of you. I've never met a man who didn't break given enough time. It would be better to work with me. It would save you a whole lot of pain." That got a reaction from the man, just not the one Chloe expected. The man sneered.

"Do it." His tone had reverted to the dry and emotionless one from the very first time that she had heard his voice way back in Fireheart Castle. His orange eyes were hard and shining with defiance, as if daring her to do it. This was a man that wasn't afraid of torture.

" _Why? Why are you protecting them? You clearly aren't afraid of being killed or hurt. So why are you with them?"_ The question scratched at her mind, demanding an answer. The situation just didn't make sense, she was missing something.

"Man! What the hell is wrong with you? Look at the side you serve! You're telling me you would die to protect them? Is this about some screwed up sense of loyalty?" Vic asked the last question with more desperation to it, gesturing angrily with her arms. Still, the man refused to respond. Kate got to one knee next to him and Chloe saw Madsen's grip tighten ever so slightly.

"We won't hurt you. We just want to help. We're on the same side. You want revenge on them? We can help you with that." Chloe frowned at the way his eyes squinted and his mouth tightened.

" _No. Not revenge either… What is it that you want?"_ She dug in her brain, trying to figure it all out but it was as if she was trying to complete a puzzle with half the pieces missing. His actions didn't add up with the side he served. She needed to crack his motivation. To figure out what drove him.

"Your man called you Hev." The man's eyes widened a tiny bit. "Please Hev, I want to help you. You tried so hard to fight for my life in Fireheart Castle, you never struck me, you confronted Lord Senam, you let my friends go when I asked you to… Why?" Kate kept on speaking with a soft voice as if she was trying to pacify him. Something tugged at Chloe's memories and she unconsciously reached for her bolt bag on her back. It wasn't there of course, she had left it behind at the encampment.

" _Hev. That name. Where have I heard that name before?"_ Chloe frowned and looked down to her empty hands. The sudden motion made Madsen's brow furrow in confusion. He was the only one who noticed.  _"The notes. They were addressed to him. That woman, Dana. What's his relation to her? Why were the notes under guard by two executioners? Why did he save Kate? Why would he serve men he clearly despises? He's not afraid for his own life…"_

"Hev." The single word was enough to snap everyone's attention back to Chloe.  _"Enough of this. It's time to roll the dice."_ She stared into his orange eyes. "You're doing it for her. For Dana." Hev's mouth parted slightly and the stunned expression on his face gave Chloe the confidence to keep going.  _"Alright, I've got part of it figured out."_

"How..? How do you..?" Chloe looked at Kate's scarred face and it finally clicked.

"Bokeh has her right? We can help you get her back." She spoke confidently to mask the doubt in her mind. The man sat dumbfounded for a long moment and Chloe feared that she had somehow guessed it wrong.

"You… You can't get her back. I've been trying to find her for a year and still, nothing." His voice lost the emotionless edge to it, the tone grew soft and his eyes fell to the floor. "It's like she's disappeared. Those bloody letters they give me are the only way I know that she still lives." When he looked back up, his eyes grew hard once again. His tone became shrouded from emotion. "They'll kill her if I betray them, if I try anything... I won't give them up even if you kill me for it. I'll work with them until I find her and then I'll get her free myself." Chloe reeled at the sudden change.  _"Damn it. I almost had him. I almost bloody had him!"_

"Hev. How long has it been since they've taken her? Your method isn't working, I have a stack of those bloody letters and from the looks of how many there are, they've definitely been accumulating for longer than a year." His mangled face betrayed his frustration so the hunter kept on pressing harder. "This plan of yours will never work Hev. They'll keep stringing you along with letters to keep you sated but you'll never see her again. They will never let you off your leash long enough to properly find the place where they've stashed her away." Hev growled angrily at her words.

"She's alive! That's all that matters to me!"

"Wake up man! She's basically dead as it is! You think Bokeh hasn't put her under the knife simply because you do as they say? She's probably in agony every day! What you're doing is clearly not working!"

"Enough!" Hev screamed the last word and the ground erupted from under Chloe's legs, sending her sprawling to the ground a good five feet away from where she had been standing. She wasn't hurt. Hev had used the grass beneath her, the only thing available in the clearing, to send her away. Chloe saw Madsen's fist tighten against Hev's throat.

"You hurt her again and I'll rip off your head, understood?"

"Madsen. Stand down!" The Impact grunted and loosened his grip. Chloe could see the red marks where the scaled fingers had dug into the man's scarred skin. She got up and walked over to Hev. The orange eyed man was still seething with rage, he didn't even acknowledge the Impact's words.  _"Good. Let's keep that emotionless wall of yours down. I can deal with anger, I can work with that."_

"You don't understand what they put me through! You don't understand anything! She's all I have left and I'll be damned if she dies because of me!" His slurred speech made his words that much more aggressive to the hunter's ears.

"Protecting her?" Chloe sneered derisively. "She's alone under a madman's thumb and has been for over a year. You think you're protecting her by being the Raven's lapdog?"

"And what would you have me do?! Turn on them and have her executed the instant they figure it out?! You think I haven't thought of that?! You think I'm happy with what I do?!"

"So fight back!"

"I fight back as best I can! You would all be dead if it wasn't for me! I let you go!" Hev snarled his words out.

"Small victories!" Chloe leaned in close to the man. "You want to really fight back?! Join us!" His eyes glinted with indecision, his mouth opened but he didn't speak.  _"Come on man! Do it! Fight back!"_

"I can't." The words left his mouth along with all the anger he'd shown. Hev looked back up at her with his hardened gaze. "I  _won't_. Do what you have to do." Chloe ground her teeth and scowled.  _"So close…"_ She looked at Madsen.

"Let him go." The Impact's eyes widened in shock.

"What?!" Both Victoria and Madsen spoke at once. "Have you lost your mind?" Victoria stared her down and Chloe didn't back down from the glare. Kate looked at her and nodded, she understood. Chloe turned back to the Impact.

"Let him go.  _Now!"_  The large man released his grip on Hev's throat. The dark red handprint was clearly visible and Hev breathed in shakily. "His binds too." The incredulous look she got from Madsen only made Chloe's resolve harden. "Now!" The Impact reached behind Hev's hands and snapped the ropes easily between his scaled hands. Hev looked up at the hunter with a confused expression, he was still on his knees. "This is wrong." Victoria's eyebrows raised up at the odd admission. "I refuse to do it this way. This group… This team." She gestured to her friends. "We are equals. And I won't have a man bound and threatened so that he joins us. I could never trust you if I forced you into this."

"So… What then?"

"You're free to go. You showed me mercy and spared the lives of my friends. I refuse to kill someone who fights against my enemy. You may work for him, but you do so because he holds someone you care for hostage.  _You_  aren't my enemy." Hev stood up and glanced around the clearing.

"You won't stop me?"

"No." She stepped closer to him. "But listen up. I want you to join us because you could help us tremendously. You're a great fighter. You know the enemy, you've been with them for a year and the information you have could carry us far in this war.  _But_. That doesn't mean you don't benefit from this. You've admitted that you haven't got a clue where Dana is. You've made no progress in finding her whereabouts or freeing her." Hev's eyes glinted dangerously. "I don't say it to anger you. I say it as a statement. You say she'll die if you betray them? What's the alternative? Working for them until they lose need of you and kill her anyways? Never seeing her again? Having her live her life in a dungeon that never sees the sun's light? Join us and I give you my word. I will do everything in my power to find her.  _We_  will do everything in our power to find her." Hev looked at the faces around him, going from one to the other until it settled on Kate.

"Hev. We're stronger as a team. You won't be alone in this, it won't be just you looking for her anymore. That's how we'll find her." Kate's words seemed to solidify something in the man's orange eyes. He looked back at Chloe.

"You drop everything you were going to do. Whatever plans you had, they're gone. I join and we hunt down my wife. That's the only way I agree to this. The risk is too great otherwise. The moment I join you, her life is on borrowed time." Chloe nodded.

"We concentrate on finding her first and foremost above all else. But I have a condition of my own." Hev stayed silent. "Once we free her. And  _we_   _will_  free her. You stay with us until we take down the High Lord Prescott and his generals. All of them. Even if it leads to our deaths. I won't waste time and risk our lives for nothing. I don't like saying it but you're an investment. I need you in this war and I can't have you bail the moment she's free." The man nodded.

"If you help me save her, I'll do anything you require of me. Her life is the most important thing to me." Chloe held out her hand and he took it in a firm grip. They shook and Chloe turned to three different reactions plastered over her friend's faces. Victoria's mouth was opened and she had a stupefied expression donning her face. Kate was smiling broadly at back her, hazel eyes shining with encouragement. Madsen just looked staggered, completely confused as to how she had salvaged a seemingly impossible situation.

"My men back at camp." Four sets of eyes turned to Hev who was picking up his brimmed hat and black cloth from the ground. He reached around the back of his head and flinched in pain, his fingers came back bloodied. He then placed the hat on his head and wrapped the cloth around his head, once again hiding the scarred, mangled mess on the lower half of his face. "We will need to deal with them swiftly before they come looking for me."

"They've already been dealt with." Hev raised an eyebrow towards Victoria. "We took care of the three of them, two are still captive and being watched over by the rest of our group. We couldn't kill them in the streets outside the tavern and risk exposing ourselves. The other was killed by Kate back at your camp." Victoria smirked with amusement. Hev didn't seem to share her enthusiasm at all.

"The three? What of the other two men?" Chloe exchanged a glance with Victoria.

"What other two?"

"I traveled with a retinue of five of Lord Senam's soldiers. I tasked two to follow me in the village, one to watch over camp from within and two to act as extra guards to watch our belongings from deeper in the forest in case of bandits." The group grew deathly quiet as Chloe looked back at Madsen and Kate.

"Did you see these men when you went to his camp?"

"No. There was only one guard. We took him out, buried him, took some supplies and came back to regroup with Warren and Max. Nobody else came to his help." Madsen words made Chloe frown. She turned to Hev.

"The horses, Kate said there were only four."

"They kept their mounts and most of their belongings with them. It wouldn't do to have guards that couldn't ride down bandits on their own quickly." Victoria's face dropped instantly.

"The extra rations and equipment…" Chloe turned to the other hunter.

"Vic. Why wouldn't they attack Kate and Madsen then? It still makes no sense. Maybe they just didn't spot the attack?" Victoria shook her head, face pale.

"Chloe… If you saw two foes that were clearly more skilled than you are, take down a friend with ease, what would you do?"

"I'd… Well, I wouldn't engage when they were ready for it. I'd just follow them back to their base and take them out by surp…" Chloe felt a cold chill run up her spine as realization set in.  _"Max... No. No! NO!"_ Chloe spun on her heels and sprinted in a mad dash towards the forest that led towards their encampment.

Branches struck the hunter's exposed face and arms as she carelessly sprinted straight through trees without trying to avoid any. She faintly heard shouting from behind, from the clearing, but she didn't register it. Nothing mattered to her right now, nothing other than getting back to the camp as quickly as possible. She burst through the last remnants of the forest and oriented herself. She was far left of the camp. Chloe burst back into a sprint in the correct direction. Her lungs burned and her face was bleeding from a small cut under her left eye. She didn't care. Her eyes focused on where the horses should've been.  _Should've_. All the horses had been cut loose of their restraints and were nowhere to be seen, the only exception was Shadow. The black warhorse was the only mount left in the entire camp. Chloe's gaze snapped to the tree where she had tied up the two captives. They were both gone. Loose rope had been cut and now lay on the ground in a heap next to the tree.

A body clad in a purple cloak lay face down in the dirt ahead and Chloe pushed her body harder. Her vision was already getting blurry and tears made their way down her face as she recognized Max's form. Chloe fell to her knees, skidding on the rough ground and she turned the body. She chocked back a yell of despair as she looked the brunette over. Max's throat had been slit open by a deep cut and a dagger was firmly embedded in her chest. Both wounds were covered in warm crimson liquid, it had pooled over the clothing and onto the ground to mix with the dirt and grass.

"Noooo!" Chloe yelled and she reached her hands over Max neck, trying desperately to feel a pulse of any kind, however faint it might be. "Max… Please… Noooo… Not you too… Pleaseeee." Her voice came out strangled, each word punctuated by a sob that wracked her body. She could feel it, the pulse was so faint that she wasn't sure if she was imagining it.

"God! Max!" Kate fell to her knees next to the hunter, heaving for breath. The blonde was frozen, hand over her mouth. Chloe turned to her and grabbed her shoulders, leaving bloody marks over the woman.

"Kate. Please… Do something… Please… Do something!" Tears fell down the blonde's cheeks and she shook her head.

"Chloe, her wounds… I can't… Nobody can…" Chloe felt the stinging in her eyes come back in full force as she gripped the witch's body and held onto it for dear life.  _"Max. No! You can't leave me like this. Not now. Not when everything was going so well. I need you."_ The hunter cried and held on. Max's head was dangling lifelessly on her shoulder.  _"Come on! There has to be something I can do. She's barely hanging on! Come ON! Think! BURN YOU CHLOE! THINK!"_ The hunter dropped Max to the ground and scrambled to her feet in haste.

"Chloe!" She didn't bother looking or replying to Kate. She just ran towards Shadow. The well trained warhorse didn't back away in fright at her erratic movements, something Chloe was ever so thankful for as she jammed a hand down into the pack saddle. Her fingers brushed so many different bundles before finally settling on the one she'd been digging for. She ran back to Max and tried to steady her trembling hands long enough to open the small coin purse. "NO! CHLOE! DON'T..!" Kate tried to grab onto the item she pulled out but Chloe shoved the blonde to the ground and jammed it over the second last finger of her left hand.

Pain. That was the first and only thing she felt.  _Could feel_. Overwhelming pain ran through her veins like molten lava. It seeped in through her pores, filled her lungs, caressed her organs, her heart, her eyes, ears, face. Everything burned as if she had fallen into a blacksmith's forge. Her core was liquid fire and Chloe screamed in agony. Her voice rang through the camp but she couldn't hear it. All she could sense was the pain, the ache, the torment. Her body began to spasm and heave. She couldn't breathe, her lungs constricted, they refused passage. Her chest began to throb and she felt something squeeze her heart. She screamed again, her voice absent to her own ears, desperate to find comfort or relief in anything. Nothing helped. Her irises burned, a sensation akin to having heated needles stuck in the tender flesh. It went through her closed eyelids, pierced right through until it reached her brain. Another scream but this time nothing came out and her body began shaking violently. She fell to the ground in a curled ball. Her mind burned, everything burned. She couldn't turn to anything else, there was only agony. Her heart began to slow its beating. She could feel it resounding through her core, her chest, her mind. It was like a burning hand was stuck inside of her, squeezing her heart, piercing it with its sharp nails. Chloe tried to curl in on herself protectively but the damage was internal. There was nothing she could do as her limbs began to fail her. She couldn't feel her arms, her legs. She laid on the cold earth as her body began to slow its tremors. She could barely feel a pair of hands shaking her, a voice screaming in the distance as her body began shutting down. Her heart still kept slowing, the pain was gone, numbness overtook her. Nothing mattered but each passing beat. She felt it slow to a crawl, each beat felt separated by hundreds, thousands of hours. Chloe felt it. She felt the moment her heart finally stopped beating. Everything was cold and then her senses hit her.

She gasped for air with a wheeze and clutched her chest as her eyes opened to the sky. Kate was sobbing uncontrollably next to her, clutching her shoulders. Chloe's eyes focused on the blonde and she opened and closed her trembling hands. Everything felt wrong. So very wrong. She felt strong. Powerful. Her hand ran up against her side, she expected a wave of pain from the bruised ribs but nothing came. Her body felt renewed. She felt good. Great. Amazing. Chloe smiled and tightened her fist until the whites of her knuckles showed.

"Chloe! What have you done?!" Kate was looking in horror at the hunter's left hand. The blonde's eyes were red and puffy and the tears kept on streaming down and escaping the confines of her eyes.

Chloe looked down and gazed over the golden ring on her finger. It shined in the sunlight and it seemed that the onyx gem socketed in its center pulsed. Black mist swirled inside the gem and Chloe frowned.  _"What?"_ The memories hit hard and Chloe immediately felt the sting come back to her eyes as she turned and grabbed onto Max lifeless from. " _Max! No… Tell me I'm not too late… Please…"_  She placed her hand over the witch's neck. The faint pulse was still there but the brunette was ice cold. Her chest didn't even look like it was moving. Chloe desperately placed a hand over the witch's throat.

" _How does it work? Work damn you! Heal her! Burn you ring! Heal her! Please! I beg you! Do something!"_ Chloe could feel the power inside of herself. It was just outside her grasp. Just out of reach. She tried to grasp for it with her mind but it slipped away. It teased her with its misty tendrils, it flowed over her invisible fingers but she couldn't close her fist on it.  _"I beg you! I'll do anything!"_ Still nothing. Chloe yelled out in frustration.

The hunter focused on her need for the power. She willed it to come to her. The sensation came back, it was so close.  _"I need you! You want to come to me! You want to do what I say!"_  She could feel the power at the edge of her mind, the strength. Again, she reached out for it and again it retracted. She looked at Max's blood soaked body and felt despair roll over her mind in waves.  _"Come on! Come to me!"_ Chloe slammed a fist into the ground, anger boiled inside of her. Her knuckles rammed into a rock. Pain shot up her arm and her skin tore open against the sharp surface. Chloe looked at her hand but no blood was coming out. Black mist seeped from the wound and the skin began to mend itself. The pain went away entirely in a matter of seconds.

" _You will obey me! I own you! You are mine to use! MINE! OBEY ME!"_ The rage the hunter felt grew exponentially and she screamed in anger. She reached for the power with anger as her driving force. This time she felt one of the tendrils of power and she gripped onto it with her mind. " _YOU ARE MY POWER! OBEY ME!"_ It wasn't enough. She could feel it as if coated in oil, slick to her mind's grasp. Infinitely difficult to hold onto. Chloe reached out for it violently.  _"YOU WILL BEND! BEND! BURN YOU! BEND!"_ She gripped the power and used it to fuel her inner strength. She started attacking it somehow. Her mind clawed at the black cloud and she shut her eyes with a growl. She scratched at it, pounded it, she felt it cower and Chloe grabbed onto it harder.  _"YOU. DON'T. GET. TO. RUN!"_ With a mental heave, she ripped it free from its hiding spot. She smiled victoriously as she felt the darkness envelop her mind and body. Her ragged breath was coming out in puffs of black mist. Small black tendrils of smoke began escaping the now-black scar on her face. Her vision felt darker yet brighter at the same time, as if the shadows around her were tinted glass.

Chloe placed a gentle hand over the brunette's chest. She felt at the power and sent it crashing into the witch's body. Max suddenly heaved and gasped. Chloe watched as black mist flowed from her fingertip and swirled around the wounds. She didn't know what she was doing but it was working. The deep wound at Max's throat began to knit itself shut and Chloe ripped the dagger free of the woman's chest. Max screamed in pain at the removal but the black tendrils wove themselves into the open wounds to numb the pain. A couple dozen seconds passed and Chloe finally let go of the power. It didn't run and hide like before though. This time, it stayed at the edge of her mind, waiting for her to summon it once more. Her vision cleared back to normal and she stopped exhaling smoke. Her scar stayed black however, she could feel the difference in magic. Where pure electric magic had once remained enclosed, now stood the darkness.

"Chloe!" Max leaped into her arms and Chloe held her tightly, refusing to let go.

"Max! I was so scared. But you're alive. You're alive." The last statement felt like more of a reassurance for the hunter side. She felt the need to say it out loud. As if declaring it, was her way of defying whatever gods that had almost taken the woman cared for so much. They broke apart and Chloe noticed that she was now crying tears of joy, of relief. She sniffled and buried her face in Max's shoulder. "Don't ever leave me." She felt Max grip her left hand comfortingly. The witch stiffened as her finger ran over the ring Chloe now wore.

"Chloe." Max forced her away and she lifted the hunter's hand to her sights. The witch's face gave way to panic. "No! You threw it away! How?" Chloe forced her into an embrace once more.

"It doesn't matter right now Max. We can talk about this later alright?" She felt the brunette nod silently in her shirt. "What happened Max? What happened?" Max suddenly went completely still. "Max?" The brunette broke away and got to her feet and Chloe noticed that Kate was nowhere to be seen.  _"Where are they? Vic and Madsen were right behind me!"_ The brunette turned to her with a horrified expression.

"He… They… No…" Max turned and ran away. Chloe followed and caught up quickly as they both ran past the yellow nomadic wagon that was parked at the edge of the forest. As soon as she cleared the corner, Chloe stopped dead in her tracks. Max fell to the ground awkwardly with a strangled sob. Kate was on her knees, crying silently with a hand over her mouth. Chloe's eyes ran over Madsen and Victoria. The pair of them were crouched next to the body with unshed tears in their eyes, both trying to keep themselves from breaking down. At the center of them all was Warren. His glazed, lifeless eyes stared up at the sky. The tinkerer lay on his back with an arrow sticking out from the center of his throat, blood had cascaded down the wound, over the sides of his neck and onto the ground. His hands were stained crimson as if he'd tried to keep pressure on the wound for as long as he could manage to extend his life. Her crossbow lay a hand span away, discarded to the side. Chloe fell to the ground feeling numb. She reached out for Max unconsciously. The brunette was heaving and crying uncontrollably. Chloe gripped her tightly but her eyes never left Warren's corpse.

Today, this war claimed its second casualty. Today, she lost another friend.


	44. Pyre

"Burn it! Burn it all to hell!"

Chloe was back at the clearing. She was alone. That's the way she wanted it. The hunter was a mess of emotions, she paced in no particular direction with aggressive steps bordering on the edge of a sprint. Her mind was hazy with the strong mix of anger, grief and anguish. Warren was dead. Her friend was dead. A member of  _her_  team was dead on  _her_  watch, under  _her_  protection. She'd been in no position to protect Frank when the mercenary had met his end. She had been countless miles away, she couldn't had done anything to prevent it. But Warren…

Chloe let out an angry yell.  _"My fault! I should've… I could've…"_  Tears were still streaming down her face. She could feel the drops as they ran down her cheeks towards the ground at her feet. She was having trouble thinking clearly. Her sense of time evaded her and Chloe found a wandering thought enter the forefront of her mind. How long had she been here? Just like in Frauy, avoiding the others had been her only lifeline. The thought of letting her friends see this side of herself was terrifying. The broken side. The side filled with deep rooted insecurities, scared and weak in the face losing those she cared about. Chloe shut her eyes and tightened her fists.  _"I should've… Somehow… I'm so sorry Warren."_

The familiar sensation of loss crept back up with a vengeance, embracing her like an old friend. It pricked at her heart and made her eyes sting. How many times had she felt this way in the last few years? How many more times would she face it in the months to come? The thought of losing Madsen, Victoria, Kate,  _Max_ … Chloe clutched at her chest as it was wracked by another sob. Warren's pale face with its glazed eyes and crimson stained hands haunted her. It hadn't been a pretty death. She knew exactly how long it took for someone to bleed out from a wound like that. The tinkerer had died slowly, terrified,  _alone_ … All of his dreams to be something great, to help others… Gone in the blink of an eye. The one man in their group with a chance at a good future, the one of them not tainted by having inflicted death and agony upon another, and he was dead.  _It wasn't fair_. The hunter's hands were pressed flush against where her heart was as she fell to her knees. It was still. The hunter felt nothing. No pulse. No warmth. Her heart no longer abided by the natural rules. The Umbra ring had made quick work of that. A violent, involuntary shudder ran through her body as the memory of the pain felt during the conversion burrowed its way to the surface.

It was quickly smothered by a greater pain as she remembered Warren's smiling face as she had handed him her crossbow.  _'You do know that I'll miss any shot I take with this, don't you?'_ Each word was like a well-aimed sucker punch to her stomach. She should have never left him behind by himself. He couldn't hurt a fly. He was harmless. Chloe had seen one of her blue-streaked bolts embedded into the side of the wagon. He had missed. As he had said he would. She had left the two most vulnerable members of her group behind by themselves with no thought of what could go wrong.  _"What kind of bloody leader does that make me? I'm a failure! He died because of me. Max…"_  An image of the witch with her throat slit, pale, weak, at the edge of death. Chloe had done this. Not directly but it had happened under her command.

No longer able to sit still, she got to her feet and began pacing once more. She tried to lose herself in the movements of her feet, to forget what had happened just for a moment. She longed for a small respite from the agonizing thoughts wracking her mind. It didn't work. Chloe turned to a tree nearby and sent a balled fist as hard as she could into the rough bark without a second thought. Her knuckles landed with a hard crack and pain shot up her hand and arm. The flesh split open in a grisly way and her nerves screamed. Her wrist was twisted in an unnatural angle, broken in multiple places. Chloe welcomed the pain with open arms. A momentary distraction. It was all she wanted. The pain faded within seconds. "No!" She shouted in anger as black, smoky tendrils wrapped around her hand and seeped from the open wound. The distraction was gone, she was left alone with her thoughts once more.

The black-scarred hunter rammed her hand back into the bark with reckless abandon. She smashed them against the immovable object. The grisly cracks of her bones snapping filled her ears. Her body shuddered from the sharp stabs of pain but she kept going.  _Anything_  to keep the memories away. But the aches went numb more quickly. The dark power acted with more haste, it took the pain away the instant her fist connected. The memories crept back to the forefront. The hunter fell to the ground in front of the tree. Her head leaned against the rough bark and Chloe cried. Her broken hands were mended once more and she wished so desperately that it could numb what she felt inside. She let the darkness envelop her for some sense of comfort but it offered none. Her breath began to leak out in wisps of black and her scarred face seeped with dark tendrils once more. Even with all this power at her fingertips, she felt powerless.

She thought of the tinkerer. His face, his demeanor, his personality, everything he was.  _It wasn't fair_. Nothing ever was. A tugging feeling she couldn't identify made the hunter turn around and she chocked back a sob. Her eyes blurred and a hand went to her mouth. Not a few paces away, Warren looked down at her with a smile. The tinkerer stood dressed in his usual garb, unkempt choppy brown hair and a jovial smile gracing his lips. A tilt of the head made the hunter scramble to her feet.

"Warren!" Chloe face broke out in a broad smile and she let out a shaky laugh as she rushed towards him. Her arms opened, ready to embrace her friend but she stumbled to halt on the other side of the man. Chloe blinked hard in confusion. Warren turned to look at her, he was still smiling warmly. She approached more carefully and reached out a hand to touch his face. Her fingers brushed through his cheek and she backed away a step. "What..?" She sniffled. The tinkerer brushed a hand through his hair. Chloe noticed for the second time the slight tugging she could feel deep inside her mind. A small pressure and thrum directed towards the man in front of her. She didn't understand what was happening, what she was doing. But somehow… Warren stood in front of her.

Chloe looked down to her left hand at the golden ring with the socketed onyx gem. The mist inside the black gem swirled and Chloe sniffed and wiped at her eyes. She breathed in shakily, trying to compose herself as best she could.  _"So much power."_  She hadn't noticed it before when she was healing Max. She was strong. Pure, dark magical strength ran into her veins. She was stronger than Max had ever been by a large margin. She looked back to Warren and felt the power thrum once more. Determination set in.  _"Maybe…"_ She closed her eyes and concentrated on the man in front of her. She poured all her memories into the shell, she solidified his constitution. Something strained and the tugging on her mind became a bit more insistent.

"Chloe?" She snapped her eyes opened at the sound of the tinkerer's voice.

"Wa…" Her voice faltered and cracked. Her eyes brimmed with tears of joy and she blinked hard. "Warren. I'm so sorry." The tears escaped their confines and she sniffed and ran into his open arms. It felt real. He was real. His grip tightened, offering comfort to the broken hunter. "It's all my fault. I…" She broke down in his arms as the tinkerer offered soothing sounds to her ears.

"It's alright Chloe."

She stepped away with a smile on her face. _"I can do it. I can bring them back. I don't have to be alone."_ She laughed as the tears kept streaming down her face. She had brought back Warren. Chloe's thoughts swarmed and she smiled more broadly as two figures appeared from dark mist in front of her. She fell to her knees. A wave of emotions struck her one after the other. Happiness, sadness, pain, hurt, loss, hope, elation. She cried harder as the first figured stepped closer and looked down at her. Her head hurt a lot, it throbbed but she pushed it away without thought.

"Price. I missed you so much." Her vision was blurry and her nose was leaking. She brushed a sleeve under it unconsciously as the strong man stood above her with an extended hand. Chloe gripped Frank's arm and he pulled her to her feet. He wore his mercenary uniform, she'd only seen him wear it twice before but it suit him perfectly. His sandy blond hair and the permanent smirk on his face made her feel a deep sense of familiarity. She hugged him hard, squeezing as tightly as she could.

"Frank. You crazy bastard." Her voice shook. "Always complaining that you didn't care about anyone and you get yourself offed trying to help my friends…"

"I'd have done anything for you and your friends. You know that." His gruff voice was filled with unspoken emotion.

"Chlo. Not forgetting about me are you?"

That voice. Her head burned and hammered and again she ignored it. Chloe separated herself from the man and looked behind him to the second figure that had appeared. Her breath caught. The woman in front of her was just as beautiful and capturing as she had been the first time Chloe had met her back in Greywitch city, years past. A wood elf with long blonde hair and dressed in tight green clothing reminiscent of leaves and nature stood ahead. A long curved wooden bow rested on her back next to a quiver and two long curved daggers stood at each side of her slim waist. A blue feather earring hung from her pointed ear and it seemed that the clearing grew brighter when she smiled. Memories of a body staked to the ground on a pentagram drawn in blood made Chloe's face falter. Rachel walked closer and put a hand gently on the hunter's face.

"Don't think about that. Remember the good times." Chloe nodded and Rachel smiled once more. She leaned her face closer and Chloe backed a step involuntarily. A mischievous grin grew on Rachel's face and her eyes narrowed slightly. "Well… That's unexpected." Chloe felt her face burn and she looked away. Rachel had always been able to get a rise out of her and send her emotions careening whichever way she wanted.

"I…" She cleared her throat and winced as a sharp pain ran through her head like a small bolt of lightning. "I met someone…" Rachel laughed.

"Mmhmm." She looked up to notice the amused glint in the wood elf's eyes. "And a  _witch_  at that." The word rang like a bell in her mind and Chloe dropped her focus from the woman in front of her. She felt herself smile excitedly and once again the stinging came back to her eyes. Another figure formed from black mist and this time, Chloe's legs gave out. The hunter fell to her knees and groaned in pain with her eyes shut tight. Her mind was blurred and her core was starting to burn. She felt her nose leaking and tried to wipe it away with her hand but only felt cold tendrils of smoke escaping her nostrils where she knew blood should have been. Chloe forced her eyes open.

"Dad?" Her voice was small and vulnerable as she gazed at the figure. The dam erupted once more as the man with a fatherly smile and strawberry blond hair walked closer. His blue eyes shone with love and caring. The sight of him made the hunter sob. "Dad?!" She wanted to hear his voice so desperately.

"Hey kiddo." His voice brought back so many memories at once. Her first time training with a crossbow. His lame jokes at the dinner table. The way he laughed and seemed to brighten up whenever he saw her or Joyce. Her father and mother dancing joyfully together at Christmas. It broke a part of her as it mended another, each memory bittersweet in its own right. "I'm so proud of you Chloe." He kneeled next to her and Chloe smiled in pain as her head began throbbing more insistently. Her vision was growing dark at the edges. "I'm so proud of what you're doing. Of the woman you've become."

"Chloe." Another voice. Softer. A gentle hand fell on her shoulder. "You need to stop." Max's voice. Chloe ignored it.

"I love you so much. I'm sorry for leaving you."

"It… It wasn't… It… Your… Fault…" Her mind was breaking apart. She could feel it. The tugging was making it difficult to talk or form any kind of thoughts but Chloe hung on with dear life. "I… Love… You… Too… Dad." She felt William's hand on her face and Chloe groaned and fell to her hands. Something snapped inside her mind and three of the figures dissipated into dark mist. The insistent pain didn't vanish with them. Chloe's eyes fell onto Warren who was still smiling back at her with warmth. His eyes shone with sadness as he looked at her.

"No!" It came out as a wail. "Don't leave me! Not you too! I can hold on to you at least! Please…" Her lip quivered and she sniffled. "I can hold onto to one of you! Please!"

"Chloe, let him go." Max's voice was so soft. "He's not real. It's only an illusion. You can't bring back the dead no matter how strong you are. We aren't gods." Max's voice was filled with pain and shakiness. The witch was crying next to her.

"I can do it Max! I brought them back. I brought them all back. Frank, Rachel, Warren… My dad. I can do it!" Max hugged her close and Chloe could feel warm tears falling over her shoulder.

"They aren't real Chloe. Just memories given form. They aren't alive."

"Yes they are! He talked to me! They all did!" Max held her tighter.

"Please Chloe. You need to understand." Her voice was like a wail and Chloe vision wavered, going black momentarily. "Please. It's hurting you. You're straining your powers too much. Let him go Chloe." The hunter looked back at Warren. The tinkerer  _looked_  so real,  _felt_  so real… Chloe cried. She didn't want to let go. She had just gotten him back. "Let him go."

The soothing tone of Max's voice did her in. Chloe let the power slip from her grasp and she watched as the smiling tinkerer vanished from her sight. The pain in her mind dissipated slowly. Dark mist swirled around her head, numbing and repairing all that she had strained. She felt drained. As if she had run miles through the desert until she had collapsed. Her arms were frail and she couldn't feel her legs.

"It's my fault Max. I left him behind unprotected. It's my fault." She buried her face in the brunette's shoulder. Max swayed her left and right gently, offering comfort in her presence.

"No. It's not. Don't ever think that way. Warren knew the risks when he joined us. We all did. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself for this. You can't be responsible for all of us. I won't let you carry this burden, I just won't. Any of us could have objected or offered an alternative. Even Warren."

"It hurts..." Max nodded.

"I know it does. Just… Don't run away from me Chloe. Not like in Frauy. I'm here for you. You don't need to escape. It's alright to be vulnerable, it's alright to fall apart. I'll be at your side to mend you back together. You've my word on it. I'm never leaving you." Chloe didn't respond. She just sat there in Max's embrace as time ticked away ever so slowly. She didn't know how much time passed before Max spoke up once more. "They're waiting for us. You think you can do this?" Chloe nodded softly and drew in a heavy breath. Her body felt sore and her eyes, throat and nose felt raw. She got to her feet gingerly with Max's aid. The brunette supported most of the hunter's weight but if she found it difficult or uncomfortable, she didn't voice it aloud.

Slowly they made their way through the forest and came out to the left of the encampment. Chloe's eyes met Hev's orange irises and he looked away slowly. The man was sitting very far away at the edge of the camp. Many bundles were placed near him, indicating that he must've gone back to his camp to fetch his things while Chloe was away. His back was turned from the camp, distancing himself and offering privacy to the mourning group. Chloe and Max passed by the yellow nomadic wagon slowly. The hunter glanced at the banged up door with its chipped paint and sniffed. Neither spoke as they reached the rest of the group. Kate and Victoria were sitting next to each other near a tree and Madsen was standing at attention, a faraway look in his eyes. None of them looked well. Kate and Victoria especially, both women had red eyes and Kate was still crying softly.

Chloe looked at the sky. She'd been gone for less than two hours yet it had felt like an eternity. They got up silently when Max guided them closer to the body lying on its back in the grass. A black blanket covered the grisly sight which Chloe was ever thankful for. She didn't think she could've kept herself together at the sight. It was already hard enough to confine the emotions that were bubbling up at the surface. Whatever Max said, she didn't want to break down in front of the rest of the group. She would keep a strong face if she could manage it. Madsen seemed to shake out of his dark thoughts and the Impact exchanged a glance with her. It was a steady gaze, full of strength and warmth. It told her that he understood how she felt and that she shouldn't blame herself. Looking into his eyes, she could almost believe it. They all stood in a triangle a few paces around the corpse. Max and Chloe held on to each other by the head, Victoria and Kate stood together on their left and Madsen on the right. Nobody spoke for a long moment that dragged on uncomfortably. They'd never had to do this before. Frank's body had never been recovered and no funeral had been held, just a few words exchanged at a bar around some drinks. This felt more real. Kate cleared her throat and spoke up with a shaky voice.

"I guess…" The blonde paused for a stretch, evidently collecting her thoughts and composing herself. "I guess I'll take the lead." She breathed in slowly and her voice grew sturdier as she went on. "Warren Graham was a dear friend to us all. We only travelled together for a short time but the impact he's left on us all is evident. He was the youngest man ever inducted in the tinkerer guild, a genius by all regards and he was certainly the smartest person I've ever met. He had a heart of gold to compliment his intelligence. When men in his position would surely seek fame and riches, Warren simply wanted to help others. He wanted to chase his dreams and bring inventions the sort of which we could only dream of, to men and women like you and I. He had grand dreams that he will never get the chance to fulfill and while the world may not know what it has lost, his death will no doubt be a strong blow to what could've been." Kate sniffed and continued on.

"I always admired Warren's seemingly infinite well of happiness and hope. When I lost myself deeper in the angry recesses of my mind, he always made an effort to give me a hand and lift me up. The loss of his genius and intellect will most certainly be felt but that's not the biggest loss. Warren brought a jovial mood to our camp and group, always distracting us when the burden of our difficult mission proved too much to bear. That, I believe, along with his friendship, will be missed long after today. He will live on in our memories and his touch on our lives have left us the better for it. From his death, we take his drive and his spirit towards our goal. He believed in our cause and understood the importance of freeing our country from the clutches of men like the High Lord. While he won't see the war's resolution, he will rest in peace knowing that we won't give in and kneel before our enemies. We won't stop until we succeed and when we do, we will make sure the world knows of his name. Of the tinkerer who showed incredible backbone and stood fearlessly against an enemy that threatened innocents. In Warren's name, in Frank's name, in the name of those of us who will no doubt fall before this quest is finally over… We will win this fight." Kate looked down to the covered corpse on the ground.

"I know Warren was a man of science and far from religious… Truth be told, I'm not so sure where I stand on that front myself anymore. But he never minded when I spoke to him of faith and religion at length. It didn't matter to him what anyone believed in, all that he cared for was who you were and how you acted. He was a better man than most. I'll miss him dearly." With that said, Kate sniffed once more and a few tears rolled down her cheeks. She had a small strained smile on her face that gave her a look of profound sadness. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28." Kate breathed in sharply. "My favorite passage…" The blonde placed a hand over her mouth and stepped back next to Victoria. The short haired hunter wasted no time in wrapping her arms around the blonde as Kate cried silently.

Max detached herself from Chloe long enough to kneel down next to the corpse and murmur some sentences under her breath for a few long moments. Chloe gave her some space and awaited for her turn. Madsen and Victoria followed suit after the brunette, one kneeling down after the other finished saying his piece but neither speaking their thoughts out loud. Chloe dropped down once Madsen stood up. She wanted to say so much but found herself with a distinct lack of words.

Chloe just looked at the tinkerer, covered as he was.  _"I'm sorry. Maybe you don't want to hear it but I needed to tell you. I brought you into this fight, onto this team, and this is the end result. Truth be told Warren, I always thought you'd be the last one of us alive. I figured our team would meet its end in a glorious fight and you'd just end up waiting for us to come back from a mission that we would never return from. I imagined you'd mourn us for a while and move on with your life. Accomplish great things, change the world… I didn't really realize you were in as much danger as the rest of us and for that, I'm sorry. I promise I'll find your grandmother when I go to Arcadia and let her know that her grandson died a hero. If I make it to Arcadia…"_  Chloe glanced down at the ring on her finger.  _"The man we met said this was a death sentence. I don't know I if I believe him. If I want to believe him… But I hate not having you by my side. I'm sure you'd take just one glance at the ring and come up with a grand solution that would solve everything. You'd have blueprints for some machine that I couldn't even comprehend and start talking in gibberish and it would pop off my finger without any trouble."_  She glanced back to the body with a small smile.  _"I won't forget all that you've done for me, for all of us. If that man was right… Do me a favor and keep me a seat at your table and a cold mug of ale. Me, you and Frank… We'll have a good time of it. Rest easy Warren…"_  Chloe stood up and walked back to Max's side. To say she felt at peace would be a lie but a sense of partial closure fell upon her.

Max walked forward a step and raised a hand. At once, flames erupted from the ground and enveloped the tinkerer's body in a maelstrom of fire. The grass below turned black and Chloe looked away, as did Kate and Max. Thankfully, the witch ventilated the air and ash upwards and away. She waited for a few long minutes before Madsen grunted. She looked back to the Impact who was clearing his throat and looking downwards. Where the corpse had lain moments ago, now stood a charred circle in the grass. Nothing remained of the tinkerer. Kate held to a golden cross around her neck as she whispered a silent prayer. Chloe didn't linger, she turned and walked past the wagon and the bloody grass where her friend's blood had dried without a second glance. She grabbed her bedroll and walked away from the camp, past Hev who was silently observing her. Once she was a good distance away, Chloe laid down, wrapped herself in tight and closed her eyes. She was physically and emotionally drained. The hunter willed herself to sleep and hoped for a night free of dreams.


	45. Split

Chloe sat around the burning embers of the small fire. Her posture and face must've done a good job of showing off her dark mood since neither Madsen nor Hev bothered to try and start a conversation. Truth be told, it seemed like nobody in the encampment was interested in that particular endeavor.  _Two days_. It had been two long, excruciating days since the ambush that had left Max on the brink of death and taken Warren's life. They had moved their camp further away from the large village and now rested on the outskirts of a shallow valley a good two hours ride away. It had been a welcome move for the whole lot of them. The other camp would've been a constant reminder of what had occurred. The unwanted attention they'd received from the villagers had also helped prompt their hasty leaving. Chloe had heard Victoria half-heartedly mutter a story of brigands or some such simply to get them off the group's back and they had left within the hour.

The hunter glanced up and caught Max's small figure entering the yellow nomadic wagon further away at the edge of camp. The brunette was carrying a bowl of leftovers that was no doubt intended for Pompidou. The dog was now fully healed of his previous wounds taken at Fireheart castle, Max had wasted little time before healing him since the witch herself was back to full strength. Chloe did notice that the large dog had taken to sleeping in the wagon during the night. It seemed as if the time spent recovering inside had made it a second home to the hound. The wagon had been taken along with them after Madsen had gone and purchased a few horses to replace the ones that had been stolen in the prisoner's escape. Shadow had been the only mount of theirs not freed or taken. Chloe figured that her black warhorse's violent tendency towards any she hadn't introduced the animal to personally probably had made the men steer clear of him. A small silver lining in a horrible situation. It was all she could hold onto however, yet still came nowhere near close enough to making her feel even the one hundredth part better about the last few days.

Chloe cracked her knuckles with a scowl as she tore her gaze away from the banged up door of the wagon that the witch had disappeared behind. Max had been avoiding her since the funeral. So had Victoria. Although, in her regular fashion, her fellow hunter had been much more blunt than the witch. The short haired blonde had told her in no uncertain terms to  _'leave her the bloody hell alone'_ before stalking away with anger in her emerald eyes. Despite Victoria's much more heated reaction, the witch's cold shoulder was the one that pained Chloe most to her core. At first, Chloe had tried talking to Max but the unmistakably short answers and the way the witch plainly avoided staying anywhere near the hunter only made Chloe spiral further into her dark mood. After the first day, Chloe had given up trying. If Max wouldn't talk to her, then she wouldn't talk to Max.

She was well aware of the cause of the rift that had sprung up between the two of them. Everyone knew even if it seemed that all were desperate not to even mention or acknowledge it. Chloe glanced down at her left hand. On the second last finger rested the gold, onyx socketed ring that was now a permanent extension of the hunter's body. She couldn't remove the thing without succumbing to death and yet, leaving it on was apparently just as much of a death sentence. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. A precarious position to be in and definitely one she would've avoided if at all possible. Despite that, Chloe didn't regret what had happened. She had saved the woman she cared for and that was all that mattered. If that meant trading her life away in the process, it was a sacrifice she would be all too eager to make if placed in the same position once again.

The glint of golden coins catching the sun's rays above Hev's hand made Chloe scowl angrily. The orange eyed man was slowly spinning four coins in the air in strange patterns using his odd power. Madsen wasn't paying attention to either of them, the Impact was slowly picking at a bowl of cold oatmeal he'd been eating for the last hour or so. Chloe didn't know where Kate or Victoria were but she suspected the two were off together again. That duo had been near inseparable since Warren's death and as such, Chloe had seen little of Kate. They weren't on bad terms and had spoken many times but Victoria almost always beckoned her away and Kate would follow after her with an apologetic half smile directed at Chloe. Hev and Madsen were the only other ones who didn't shy away from her. Though, as far as she knew, the man with the orange eyes hadn't spoken more than a few words to anyone at all since joining their party. The glint once again caught her eye and she angrily reached to the ground and threw a rock towards the floating coins. Hev didn't even look her way but the rock seemed to curve in the air and it seamlessly joined in the pattern with the four coins.

"Would you bloody stop?!" The words left her mouth dripping in anger. She wasn't really angry towards the man but her dark mood made it all too easy to get irritated and she really wanted to lash out at something. The man turned towards her with that stony, emotionless gaze she now associated with him.

"And what else would you have me do to pass the time?" His words didn't match the bland expression in his eyes. They came out matching hers with just as much anger. The venom in his voice felt heightened by his slurred speech that dragged vowels just a little too long. "We've been sitting on our asses for two days.  _Doing. Nothing_." The emphasis on the last two words made it clear who he held to blame for that. Chloe grimaced.

"We'll be on our bloody way soon. Our friend just died because of  _your_  men! Show some bloody patience, would you?!" It was the wrong thing to say and Chloe knew it the instant the words slipped off her tongue. The man ripped away the black cloth obscuring the lower half of his face. He was most definitely not expressionless now. His enraged scowl was only emphasized by the mangled flesh around his mouth.

"Patience?! PATIENCE?!" He seethed with anger. "I've shown  _nothing but_  patience while you all mope around feeling sorry for yourselves! I've almost reached the limit of what I will tolerate, hunter!" Chloe didn't back down, she pulled herself up, glaring back at him.

"Is that a threat?!" She leaned closer to the man. "Let me be very clear Hev. You don't get to order me around. We go when I bloody say we go and not a goddamn moment sooner!"

"You waste days that I can't afford to spare! Everyday single day, the men who escaped come closer to Arcadia to bring news of what happened. I no longer have an indefinite amount of time to work with. They think me dead or captured! Bokeh may not be in the capital but the moment word manages to reach him, he'll have no reason to keep my wife alive!" Chloe shrunk in on herself and looked away with frustration. He was right.

"You won't have to wait much longer. I just need you hold on while I get our affairs in order. I have a plan." It was a blatant lie but he didn't know that. She needed to talk to Max before a plan could be drawn up and therein laid the problem. Chloe put everything she could into stilling her face. She needed him to keep confidence in their ability and strength or they would lose him as quickly as they had gotten him. Hev was only in this fight for one reason and if he believed that his chance to accomplish it were better suited alone, he would go his own way faster than she could blink. The man stiffened and his right fist tightened on the black cloth he held at his side. The coins that had been levitating in a pattern fell to the ground in front of the fire, forgotten. He didn't look at them, his orange eyes pierced into the hunter's now-black irises without wavering.

"See that you do not take much longer to get your affairs in order, hunter." With that, the man's other hand opened and his long quarterstaff flew into his palm from where it had been leaning on the log he'd been sitting on a moment ago. Hev turned and strode off towards the forest with quick steps. Chloe let out a breath and her gaze turned towards Madsen. The Impact did not look pleased.

"Chloe, the man is already at wits' end. Do not push him further towards the edge." The hunter looked away from the Impact's gaze. "He has every right to be angry about his situation."

"I know." Chloe's voice softened and she kicked a small branch into the embers in front of her boot. "I shouldn't have lost my temper." Madsen shifted and ran a hand over his chin, scratching at the two days' worth of stubble on his face.

"What  _are_  we going to do Chloe? What  _is_  the plan?" The edge in his voice was only matched by Chloe's own rising frustration.

"I don't know Madsen! I just don't!" She lowered her voice to a more appropriate level with a struggle. "Max is avoiding me and Vic won't so much as look my way. How am I supposed to figure any of this out without them? If Max wasn't so bloody stubborn…"

"Don't put the blame on Max. This is your doing Chloe, not hers." Chloe scowled at his deadpanned answer.

"Keeping the ring was the right call Madsen. I saved her bloody life with it. I was  _right_  in stowing it away. She has no claim to be acting this way!"

"You betrayed her trust Chloe. All of ours for that matter. You told us to our faces that you buried it." His tone was steadily climbing up and she unconsciously raised her voice to match it.

"Because she would've forced me to get rid of it! Look at how everything turned out! I was  _right_!"

"You  _lied_  to her Chloe! She's justified in feeling angry!"

"She wouldn't be feeling anything if I hadn't kept it! I was  _right_!"

"ENOUGH!" Madsen stood up and threw the wooden bowl he held into the fire with violent ferocity. The object collided with the embers and deep red coals scattered to the ground at her side. "You're acting like a child!"

"You would've done the same as me! She'd be dea…"

"QUIET!" His voice cut off her words with ease and Chloe inched back physically from his glare. She had rarely seen the man this angry and certainly never had herself be the recipient of it. It was a terrifying sight. "You want me to say it Chloe? Fine! You were  _right!_ Is that what you want to hear?!" Chloe didn't answer him, her mouth felt dry all of a sudden. His eyes looked into hers with heavy disappointment and somehow, that actually made her feel worse than being faced with his anger. "Being  _right_  does not invalidate her feelings! Being  _right_  does not mean she's not allowed to feel hurt or angry! Being  _right_  doesn't absolve you of the consequences of your actions!" He sat back down roughly and his voice softened after a long pause and a few deep breaths. "I'm not telling you to regret your decision. I know you don't. There's nothing wrong with that. You did what you thought was best and truth be told, I probably would've kept the ring for the exact same reasons you did." He met her gaze again and his eyes softened. "We're very similar in that regard Chloe. Maybe that's why I can't find it in myself to be angry with what you did."

"So what would you do then?" Chloe's voice was barely above a whisper. She felt a mix of shame and sadness rise up and it made her want to curl in on herself. "How do I fix this?"

"Start by apologizing to her Chloe." The hunter breathed in and sighed.

"I can't even get her to stand still long enough to exchange more than a couple of words."

"Because she's grieving Chloe… And not just for Warren." His eyes fell to her left hand, the object of his attention was plain to the hunter. "That ring is going to kill you."

"Maybe the man was wrong. Maybe it won't affect me the same way as the rest of them." The words slipped out of her mouth unconsciously.

"Maybe..." The Impact didn't sound as if he believed it. Silence hung in the air for a brief moment before he continued. "But right now, it's the only information we have." He rubbed at his mustache. "I don't think Max is really angry with what happened. About the lying, she most definitely is… But not with what you did. I think she's just hurting. And with good reason. You know her situation, no family, few friends... She had finally found someone she could envision having a future with. Something to look forward to if she could come out victorious in this fight. And now… No matter the outcome of this war, it's been ripped away from her." Chloe flinched as if struck as the words sunk in. They weighed heavy on her mind as she considered exactly what the Impact had said.

"I… I'm such an ass. I didn't even think about it that way. I just kept getting frustrated with her for keeping her distance." Chloe ran her finger over the golden ring. She looked down at the object that was glinting in the sun's rays. "I'm sorry for not telling you about the ring Madsen." The big man shrugged away the apology.

"Like I said. I understand why you did it."

"It still doesn't excuse it. You're right, I don't regret doing what I did. I'd do it again if put in the same situation but I still owe you all an apology for not being upfront about it."

"You should go say that to Max." Chloe nodded at his words but she didn't move from her seat next to the fire.

"I still can't pin her down long enough to explain myself and apologize. She just walks away when she sees me coming." Chloe looked at the Impact. "How would  _you_  get her to listen?"

"Chloe, I'm a pretty straightforward man and I hold very little patience when it comes to conflict. I like to approach problems head on even if it sometimes lands me in the boiling kettle."

"So?"

"So force her to listen." Chloe's eyes widened.

"She's a bloody witch Madsen. How the hell do you suppose I do that?" The Impact pointed to her left hand.

"You forget about that thing already?"

"You want me to use magic to force her to listen to me?" Chloe's voice rang with bewilderment. "If I do, I'll be lucky if all she does is box my ears off. This'll make her twice as angry as she was before! That's ridiculous!"

"You asked me what I would do Chloe."

"I didn't think you'd give me idiotic advice!" Madsen raised an eyebrow.

"It's either that or you wait for her to come around on her own. I suppose you could do that although it might take another day or two. Max does have a good head on her shoulders so I doubt it'll take longer than that." Chloe frowned at his words and grimaced. She might not have a couple of days to spare. Hev was growing impatient the longer they stayed in place and truth be told, she didn't want to prolong this silence with Max. She missed having the brunette by her side and wanted to bridge the gap as quickly as was possible. Chloe made up her mind but before she left she directed another question towards Madsen.

"And Victoria?"

"I suspect the she's angry for a completely different reason." The Impact's face revealed nothing as he answered her stoically. It was clear from his demeanor that whatever supply of advice he had been willing to share with her had come to an end. Chloe sighed as she stood up. She'd have to confront that problem all on her own. But later, right now she had a witch to deal with.

Steeling herself for what could very well be a terrible decision, Chloe started towards the wagon. Within seconds of moving her feet, the door to the wagon opened and Max stepped out. The brunette left the door ajar so the hound could leave at its leisure and her blue eyes widened as she pivoted and looked straight at the hunter. Both set of eyes met briefly but the brunette broke the connection first and turned to walk away towards a path in the woods with an unreadable expression over her face. Chloe didn't bother saying anything more to Madsen, she simply started walking after the woman. Hesitant to cause a scene where others might overhear, Chloe followed Max a good distance into the woods until she was sure that they were far from prying ears.

"Max." The name escaping her lips made the witch ahead stiffen and stop. She had clearly been expecting Chloe not to follow.

"I told you to just give me some time." The soft words were followed up by the brunette's legs once again departing further down the path she was heading.

"You've had enough time. I want to talk to you." Max didn't stop. "Please, Max." Chloe swallowed hard. She had still hoped against all odds that this would've been somehow avoidable. The hunter reached for the power in the corner of her mind and let it fill her to the brim. She could see translucent wisps of blackness start to flow from the scar on her face. More escaped into the air as she breathed out, dissipating like warm vapor in winter.  _"I'm sorry…"_  The thought did nothing to stop the cringing feeling as she lashed out with the dark essence.

She still wasn't well versed in with magic but she concentrated on her need to hold the witch in place and weaved something in her mind. Max's body stopped moving in mid-stride, all limbs and clothing on her freezing solid in the air like a still painting. A very faint film of shade wrapped around her body like a second skin, enveloping all but the neck and above. Chloe hurriedly ran the few paces separating them to get in front of her. When she rounded on the brunette, she did flinch. Max did not look happy in the slightest and Chloe immediately regretted her decision as the woman in front of her scowled angrily.

"I just want to…"

Chloe broke off as she felt a soft pressure up against her mind. It felt almost as light as the smallest brush of fingers on skin except that the hunter could feel whatever it was, sliding against the barrier that held her power. It was an odd feeling and she knew that somehow, Max was the cause of it. It grew in intensity with a slight buildup, like the thing was prodding and testing the boundaries available. Chloe reacted without thought and she forced more of the dark power into the part of her mind that held the witch in place. And yet, the more she steeled her barrier and reinforced it, the more pressure pushed against it. The whole process had taken less than ten seconds from start to finish and Chloe found herself quickly reaching her limit. The hunter could feel the tugging in her mind grow until it began a dull throb. It wasn't painful but it was quite uncomfortable.

She had learned to identify that feeling as a warning that she was straining herself. As it stood, she felt that if she used even an ounce more of her power to hold against Max, the dam would breach and she would start to put her body through the same stress and pain she had felt when she had overextended herself conjuring those illusions a couple days gone. Chloe could feel small beads of sweat on her brow from the exertion. While just shy of her limit, the hunter was still increasingly aware that her body was working hard to maintain the barrier. Max's blue eyes studied her with interest and the brunette even squinted slightly in thought. Chloe noticed that Max was showing none of the signs of discomfort that she herself was. Just as she worried that the woman would somehow manage to somehow push her over her limit, the prodding feeling slipped away into nothingness. Chloe blinked in surprise but forced her own flow to hold strong. She wouldn't ease up in case Max was luring her to lower her guard to strike with whatever that thing had been. They  _would_  talk this out and they  _would_  do it right this instant.

"I don't appreciate being held against my will Chloe." The words that the brunette uttered were filled with a mix of anger and disapproval. Staring into the witch's eyes, Chloe found herself at a loss for words for the second time today. "Well..? You said you wanted to speak to me. It appears I don't have much say in the matter, so have at it." Sarcasm flowed smoothly around the words. The hunter shook her own head slightly to clear it. It surprised Chloe that even with her eyebrows pinched in a frown and with her lips compressed to a thin line, Max still managed to look absolutely breathtaking. The black-scarred hunter quickly realized that she had been standing there looking at Max dumbly and she cleared her throat and backed away a step to stand a couple paces away. It wouldn't do to get distracted right now. Max barely raised an eyebrow and Chloe could've sworn that the corner of the witch's lips almost tugged upwards into a smirk. She dismissed it immediately as she began to speak. Unfortunately, her nerves got the better of her and the words she wanted to say came flowing out in a jumbled mess.

"I'm sorry Max. For lying I mean. Not because of what I did. I don't regret that, not for an instant. I mean… I  _am_  sorry for hiding the ring, I should've told you and even if you tried to fight me on the matter, I should've at least tried to explain my reasoning. I just knew it would be useful and I couldn't bear to throw something that valuable away. And I was  _righ_ …" Chloe stopped herself short, reminding herself of what Madsen had said. "No. That's not what I wanted to… Just…  _Arggh_..!" Chloe scowled and took in a deep breath. Max had yet to speak and her companion's face had become impassive once more during her short rant. The witch's eyes though, those glinted of sadness and Chloe cursed herself for being the cause of it.

"Alright. I'll take this step by step." She firmed her resolve. "I acted like an ass the last couple of days. I didn't realize what I put you through, not fully. I needed Madsen to help me out with that and I can't apologize enough for not getting there myself. I should've never lied to you, to any of the group, but especially you. It was a selfish decision prompted by the best of intentions. I swear I was happy to never have to use it. The Umbra ring was only a last ditch effort in case something went really wrong and I am so sorry that I lied to you about it. While what I did was absolutely the right decision in my mind, the way I approached it was flawed to the core. I don't regret putting on the ring. I don't regret it because it's the reason that you still breathe and I would do it a hundred times over if it kept you at my side." The hunter's black eyes met the witch's blue and she tried hard to convey just how much she meant those words by that simple gesture. "I swear I'll never hide something that important from you again. My word on it… You mean so much to me Max." The last came out pleadingly. "I'm not perfect, I have my flaws just like any other. Maybe more than my fair share… But it won't happen again." Chloe kept her eyes steady, trying to decipher any other emotion other than sadness on Max's face. The witch sniffed and Chloe could tell that the brunette was on the verge of crying.

"That ring is going to take you away from me." Max's shaky words stung the hunter. "I've been spending the last two days wracking my brain for anything,  _anything_ , that can help me get it off your finger without killing you." Max shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I don't know anyone that can help you. I just don't know…" Tears leaked down the brunette's cheeks. "I don't care that you kept it Chloe but you're bloody right that I'm  _beyond_  pissed that you hid it from me." The hunter looked down at her feet, suddenly unable to hold Max's eyes. "We were supposed to be a team. And now? What happens when it starts to take over? Am I going to have to be forced to take you down when you snap? What if you hurt one of us, even by accident? What happens when you do finally lose control? What do I do when you're gone?" She sniffed again. "All these questions are running through my mind faster than I can blink and I don't know the answer to any of them." Chloe ran a hand through her hair before answering the witch.

"Look, I don't feel any different. It's been a few days and I'm the exact same as usual and not from lack of using the Umbra ring. Maybe he was wrong Max. Maybe I won't turn like the rest of them. He said it affects people like me more than regular folks and yet I seriously feel nothing out of the ordinary. And if I'm wrong, nothing says I'll die next week. Maybe it'll take months to take me down. By then, we can try to find a cure or solution." Those words seemed to have appeased Max somewhat. The witch nodded slowly and Chloe could see a firm determination start to set on her face.

"You're right. There's no use in wallowing about and wasting what precious time we have. We'll go save Hev's wife and then we find a way of removing that thing off your finger. The High Lord can wait. I  _will_  save you Chloe. I  _won't_  let you go without a fight."

The fierceness in those words brought a smile to the hunter's face. She couldn't help it, it felt nice to have someone care so much for her. Chloe closed the distance quickly and embraced Max with her arms, holding the smaller brunette's body tightly against her own. She took in a long shuddering breath before she realized that Max wasn't reciprocating. The witch was now sporting an unfamiliar expression on her face and it instilled a sense of worry deep inside of Chloe. It was quickly taken over as the hunter's face grew red with an unspoken apology as she grasped that Max was still frozen from the next down. The tugging in her mind was still as strong as before but before she could release the witch, Max spoke up.

"One more thing."

"What is i..."

The feeling of prodding came back with immense force, slamming down on the wall in her mind with such ferocity that Chloe's eyes widened and she groaned in pain, holding the sides of her head. Despite the massive amount of power she had poured into keeping it reinforced, it shattered immediately without resistance like an ocean's wave slamming down on a house of twigs. Chloe fell to her knees as the pain rang in her head and she unconsciously reached for the dark essence for a sense of respite. It could heal the pain if she could grasp it once more. To her horror, Chloe found that she could no longer fill herself up with it. It was there, just out of reach behind what could only be described as a layer of oil above water. The pain faded slowly and Chloe opened her eyes to stare up at the witch. Max was no longer frozen in place and she looking down at her with a hard expression that made Chloe want to sink into the ground.

" _Never_.  _Ever_. Use your magic against me without my consent." Chloe shuffled back on her knees at the intensity in the woman's posture, her pain momentarily overlooked. "You best remember that while that ring may make you stronger than me in raw power, I've had much longer to hone my craft." She stepped closer. "You're nothing but a blacksmith holding a broadsword. Stronger than most men and absolutely deadly if he lands but one hit on his foe.  _But_ no more threatening than a child with a stick when facing a battle tested soldier." Chloe swallowed and nodded a bit more vehemently than she expected. This was certainly a side of Max that she would be all too happy to never see again. Max gave a curt nod when she saw that her point had gone through as well as she no doubt expected. Just like that, the oily substance in her mind dissipated and the power rammed back into Chloe with desperation. Smoky tendrils flowed from her mouth as they enveloped her head and soothed the ache away. She let it linger only long enough to heal before she banished it back to its corner in her mind.

"How..? How did you..?" Max offered a hand that the hunter graciously took. The witch pulled her up to her feet.

"Healing and temporarily severing someone's connection to magic both rely on the same type of strength. They both require an extensive knowledge of how magic reacts when forced into a body. If you find yourself skilled at doing one, you'll likely be skilled at the other. A bit like how illusions and making yourself invisible are related. Thankfully for me, healing is something I'm quite an expert at." Chloe looked at her companion disbelievingly.

"But when I felt it earlier…" Max did smile at that and amusement twinkled in her eyes. "You could've broken free at any time!"

"I could've. I was just testing you." Her smile faltered a slight bit. "And… I wanted to see what you had to say. I'm happy you followed me and we got to air this out, even if I do disapprove of how you went about it."

"Madsen suggested it. It was his idea." Max's eyebrow rose mischievously at Chloe's attempt to throw the Impact under the proverbial horse.

"Either way. What I said stands." Max's face grew more serious. "You  _are_  strong Chloe. Much stronger than I. I could tell when you managed to make and hold four different illusions all at once as well as giving them substance. But you need to be careful. An experienced magic user will have many ways to disable you or trick you into walking into defeat. What I did was simply one way that I'm much more familiar with but there are others that are just as effective and no less painful. Remember that as your first lesson. Never underestimate an opponent but especially a magic user above all others. Right now, they are almost certain to have more experience than you and the fight will almost always weigh heavily in their favor." Chloe nodded as she wrapped her arm around Max's side, bringing the witch closer to her own body as they walked slowly back towards the camp.

"Wait? First lesson?" She looked at Max questioningly.

"I can't have you out there not knowing the limits of your powers or even what you're doing half the bloody time. As long as you have that ring on, I may as well teach you to control your magic and show you what you can do with it. It may come in handy against our enemies. I'm not a great teacher and I don't know that much but it's still more than you do. And… I think it might be a good idea. Maybe this way… You'll be able to fight it off a bit longer." Chloe looked back at Max and tried to force a smile. Admittedly, it was a poor attempt at bringing the mood back to a more enjoyable level and away from that darker topic. Max seemed to understand though and they continued to walk in silence.

"Hev is restless. He wants to take off after Bokeh and we did promise him that we would help him get his wife back as quickly as we can." Chloe spoke up just to break up the atmosphere.

"I know. I've had time to figure out what we should do during the last two days."

"So what  _is_  the plan?"

"Since we have no idea where to start searching for his wife and have not a scrap of information or even the smallest lead… Our smartest bet is to take down Lord Ingras, he's residing in his own estates near Graint. Unfortunatly, he's the last remaining general we can hit outside of Arcadia so we'll need to strike hard and take prisoners. The more the better. Maybe one of them will know something we can use to find her." Chloe hummed her ascent.

"As good a plan as any, I suppose." They reached the edge of the camp and Chloe marched off towards where Madsen and Hev sat. "Get Vic and Kate ready to go, I'll let the boys know it's time to saddle up."

 

* * *

 

**Important A/N**

I made another one-shot story that ties into  _The Blue Hunter_  very heavily. It's called " _Bokeh_ " and it follows Mark Jefferson's point of view. I definitely recommend giving it a read although I warn that it is a bit on the dark side. It's 5.5k words total and already posted. If you're interested, click on my profile and you can find the story there.


	46. A Powerful Will

Chloe was writing on a small table by the dim light of an oil lamp that hung precariously from the roof no more than a few inches above her head. The slowly swaying object emanated a small amount of heat in the enclosed space which was just enough to bring the temperature in the wagon to an uncomfortably warm degree. She could feel her back sweating and she passed a hand over her brow for the umpteenth time since she'd been here. The hunter ignored it as best she could, which was to say, quite poorly. Despite this, the quiet air was broken only by the steady scratching noise of the quill being dragged onto a large scrap of blank paper. Her concentration wandered here and there but she thought it an overall victory that she hadn't already given up and simply walked away into the cool outdoors.

The many drawers layered around the area had been opened carelessly in her search for paper so now there was a mess of blueprints and half-finished inventions scattered around her feet and over the shelves. It had taken her far too long for her taste to find what she had been seeking when she first settled down. Warren had been living in the embodiment of an organised mess and his blank papers hadn't been neatly stashed away. Instead, she had found them just randomly shoved around into whatever nook and cranny the tinkerer had been able to find in the moment.

The thought brought a small smile to Chloe's face and she shook her head slightly to make the image scamper off into the recesses of her mind. It wasn't the time to be getting distracted by daydreams, she was here for a reason. The steady  _plink_ of a couple of flies running into the glass of the lamp was intermittently joining in on the soft noise. She had initially grumbled at yet another distraction but the flies were fast and the light source was doing a great job of keeping the flying insects in her near vicinity. Chloe ignored them as best she could too.

The black-scarred hunter was deep in thought and the bothersome noises were now all fading once more into the background as her full attention directed itself towards the piece of paper below her left hand. Her right hand was moving deftly across the paper, she had never been praised for her penmanship but her writing was still quite passable. It would get the job done, and anyways, Chloe doubted that the recipients would care much about a small detail like that especially considering the contents of the letters. She glanced up and her black irises locked on to the first piece of paper she had graced with ink a couple hours ago. It was already wrapped up carefully and folded into a small envelope. The simple three letter name on the top of it was centered perfectly in the middle of the envelope. She had written the name with much more care than she'd ever admit to.  _Max_.

Chloe looked back down and tore her gaze away from the letter. It had taken her embarrassingly long to get all her thoughts and feelings organized and put down in writing. She had rewritten it countless times as evidenced by the small group of balled up scraps on the floor next to the small stool. She would have to remember to gather them all up and throw them in the fire, it wouldn't do to have anyone come across it by accident. Every single one of those prior attempts had seemed too weak to express exactly what she wanted to say. Chloe had finally come to terms with the fact that there was no such thing as a perfect letter after the tenth time she had balled up what she had written and tossed it to the floor. She was only decently satisfied with the end result but it would have to do.

Noticing that her attention had wandered once again, the hunter sighed and forced her gaze back down. Chloe came back to the subject at hand with a bit of effort. The quill started moving again as she felt herself easing back into it and letting her thoughts flow freely once more. This letter was much easier to write than the first had been. The scratching noise in the silent wagon commenced anew, it was soothing in a sort of way Chloe couldn't really explain.

_-rry I can't be there in person to tell you how much I regret how things have fallen out between the two of us. I know I'm the one at fault. I just need you to know that I left because was angry with the world and I wanted to leave behind everything that reminded me of him. It hurt less that way. It was unfair to you, cruel even, and I can't begin to express how much I wish I could go back in time and change things._

_I had my opportunities to reconnect mind you, but the truth is that I'm a coward. As time flew by, I kept coming up with excuses of every kind not to contact you. That I would only be hurting you more when I finally fell and failed to get up on one of my contracts. That you wouldn't want to see me because of how I left you. That you would be ashamed of who I've become. A killer for hire… A person who defied and ignored all the values you tried so hard to instill in me since childhood._

_I like to think I'm different now. That I've grown and changed in the last few months. I've met some good people and despite who I am, they actually accept me. They don't look at me in awe, anger or fear like everyone else I've come across. I had a rough patch not long ago and they helped me get through it. I lost someone I cared for deeply and it hurt so much. I was spiraling down and I don't think I would've survived the fall. But now? For the first time in too long, I'm actually happy. I've made lifelong friends on this journey. I even met someone that I would tear the world apart for. I wish I could introduce you two, you would love her as much as I do, I'm sure of it._

_I'm rambling again… This letter is going to seem long winded. I'm sorry, I guess it's hard for me to talk to you even through paper. It's been too long, there's too much we need to fill in about these years apart. I know you're doing well. Brooke still brings me back snippets of information about you whenever she comes back from the capital. I hope the tavern is doing just as great as it used to. I miss that place dearly. I miss you so much. I wish I could go straight to Two Whales and talk with you over a mug of ale._

_Maybe in a bit, if things turn out better than they have any right to. I'm in the middle of some pretty heavy stuff that needs to be dealt with. Trust me when I say that it's not something I can set aside. I don't know how the dice will fall but my course is set and I won't back down from seeing this to its bitter end. I know you would be proud of what I'm trying to do right now, so would dad. I'm one of the good guys for once._

_I hope I get to see you soon. I wish I could tear this letter up myself and tell it all to you in person._

Chloe took a deep breath and bit her lower lip hard. She forced the next few words down quickly before her emotions stopped her progress.

_But if you got this letter. Well, I guess it's probably not happening. Just know that I'm thinking of you and that I regret much of what I've done. I love you. Take care mom._

_-Chloe._

The hunter dropped the quill to the side of the paper and stared hard at the black ink. She blindly reached for the pouch of sand and sprinkled a small quantity over the words, blowing on it once satisfied that it was dry. Chloe reached for the second envelope and carefully folded the finished letter and placed it inside. She took up the quill once more to mark it down the middle.  _Joyce Price._

The hunter got up and stretched her aching knees. She had been sitting in the uncomfortable stool for the better part of the last two hours without shifting positions and she felt both sore and wound tight all over. The hunter grabbed the two letters and placed them carefully inside the bag of bolts over her shoulder. She would deal with them in a bit but for now she was already late for the first of her lessons with Max. They'd been traveling quickly and making good time towards Lord Ingras' residence so they had indulged in a rest for half a day. Kate and Max had both insisted on it and the brunette was quick to suggest that they begin Chloe's training. The hunter gathered the balls of paper on the floor and kicked the door of the wagon with her heel. The door swung open and she made her way towards the fire before she stopped herself with a smirk.

Reaching to the corner of her mind, Chloe felt for the power. She squinted and smiled victoriously after a moment. The balled up papers in her hand caught fire and were enveloped in shadowed black flames. The smile was soon wiped away as she cursed loudly and began swatting her hand against her thigh. The skin of her palm was burned and twisted as if she'd taken a hold of an orange coal straight out of the fire. She found herself ever so thankful for the dark mist that escaped the wound and began to mend the skin back together as if nothing had happened.

Chloe looked up to see Victoria, Kate, Madsen and Hev further away, sitting around the orange flames of the campfire on various rocks or logs that had been found in the bordering forest. The two men had evidently not noticed her little mishap. The same could not be said of the two women. Kate was looking at her with a worried expression that silently asked her if she was alright. Victoria's grin and barely concealed amusement, on the other hand, was more than enough to force Chloe to break her gaze away. Feeling a rush of heat overwhelm her cheeks, the embarrassed hunter cursed her inability to think of how lighting a small fire in your hand  _might_   _not be_  the greatest of ideas, magical healing powers or no. Chloe pivoted and stormed off towards the clearing Max had chosen. She  _really_  hoped she wouldn't be as inattentive when facing the witch's scrutiny.

 

* * *

 

"Are you alright Chloe?" Max's voice brought the hunter out of her reverie and Chloe smiled up at the brunette confidently.

"Yes. Sorry. I got lost in my own head." Max shook her head exasperatedly in a friendly manner. The witch had a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth that she was clearly trying her hardest to suppress.

"Come on, Chloe. We need to figure out exactly how the ring works. Take this seriously. It's not that hard to do."

"I know you say it isn't that difficult but I just don't understand how to do it. It makes no sense to me…" Max raised an eyebrow and brought up a hand to forestall the hunter's train of words.

"Alright, let's approach this another way." Max bit her lip and scrunched up her brow as she breathed out gently in concentration. It was quickly becoming one of Chloe's favorite expressions. The hunter had to admit that the brunette seemed to have an infinite amount of patience. They'd had no progress since first arriving at the meeting place almost a half hour ago and yet, Max was still trying as hard as she could to get through to Chloe. "Clearly the way I was taught to use magic won't work on you. I'll need to start anew and tweak the lesson as I go along. It might be a bit more difficult, your powers don't seem to be like the norm." Chloe grinned at that last statement.

"I am pretty special…" Max rolled her eyes playfully but didn't stop to acknowledge the hunter's words.

"Instead of  _me_  telling  _you_  what to do. Tell me what exactly it is that you actually do to create spells." Chloe frowned for a second and reached for the power.

She raised her hand and let it flow through her body, it rushed in like a cold breath of air. The foreign feeling of unimaginable strength enveloped her bones and organs, seeped into her very fabric of being. Her scar began leaking dark smoky tendrils and she exhaled black mist. All around her she could view what had been shadowed in darkness mere moments ago with absolute clarity as the white of her eyes filled up until all there was left was black.

"I don't… I… It's hard to explain… I just…" Chloe huffed in annoyance. "I don't think I know how to…" Chloe stumbled over her words as she tried to convey exactly what she meant to say. Max walked the few steps of distance separating them and took Chloe's hand in her own. The hunter met her gaze, it was steady and full of affection.

"Just take your time. You can do this." Chloe could see that the witch meant every word said.

The black-scarred hunter closed her eyes and broke contact with Max's hand, being in the witch's gentle grasp was too much of a distraction. Chloe felt as if she was trying to wade to shore while stuck in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. She'd never taken her time to figure out exactly what it was that she did when she wielded magic, it just sort of… Happened. She opened her eyes and said as much.

"When I do something. I don't know what it is I'm doing. That is to say…" She grimaced. "Alright. New strategy. Let's say I wanted to rip a chunk of earth from the ground in front of us…" Max nodded encouragingly. Chloe breathed out and let the power stream from her as she lashed out at the grass. The ground erupted and a large ball of dirt about two feet in diameter ripped itself from its confines. The large floating mass was hovering a few feet over the hole it had just come from. "I just will it to be so. I think to myself that I want the chunk of earth to be ripped free, so it is. And I want it to float in front of me above the hole, so it does." Chloe looked to Max, desperate for the woman to comprehend what she was saying. Max frowned in thought.

"That shouldn't be. It goes against every single thing I've been taught about how magic is wielded." The mass of dirt and grass fell to the ground but Chloe didn't lock up the power once again, she let it flow in her body as she looked at the witch. "I was shown that the currents of magic have to be handled, pushed, pulled, strengthened, weakened, intertwined… Each flow added onto another in such a precise way that they mold together and form the spell. Like when stitching a complicated design, if you have one string loose or out of place, the whole thing could unravel or could lead to something completely different than what you had originally intended. Although, I should say that it's rare to have that happen. It's more likely you'd end up simply unable to craft the spell. That's why it's harder to work a type of magic you aren't familiar with, the web could be so complex that it simply isn't possible to do for someone not gifted in that area. Or it's just more difficult to maintain the web… Needing to pour a bit more strength on this string, pull a bit harder on this other, weaken the third just so, meld the fourth in this way…" Max's hands were moving in the air as if she could show Chloe exactly what she was seeing. "It can become too difficult to hold steady. Like a tower of cards where every subsequent level makes it more unstable and your strength in that area of magic dictates how high you can make it go. It's why specialties are so prevalent with witches. Because the magic is wielded."

Chloe listened attentively to the brunette's words. What Max described sounded so foreign to her that it was difficult to grasp.  _"String, stitches, webs..?"_ She couldn't make heads or tails of the words that ran through her mind.

"I don't have to do any of that." It was Max's turn to grimace.

"The ring bypasses it. It must. There's no other explanations. Most witches can craft spells that they are naturally inclined towards without prior knowledge when they reach their awakening. I did it when I was younger, every witch does as far as I know. I managed to heal animals and people with simple wounds and I had no bloody idea what I was doing until much later. The ring seems to take that concept and apply it to magic as a whole. Maybe it's because the ring bearer doesn't have the inborn power so they can't physically see the current." Chloe shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"Isn't that much better in the long run though? I don't have to learn to do all these things you're talking about. It also makes me better-rounded than an average witch. I'm not restricted to a specialty, I can craft everything I want at the drop of a hat. I simply will it to happen." Max shook her head.

"But if you don't see or understand what you're doing and simply  _will_  it into existence, then you lose the buffer." Chloe raised an inquisitive eyebrow and Max went on explaining. "It's akin to if you were trying to hit someone with a sword while blind. You'd end up disturbed by the slightest of noises and each distraction would change your next move considerably. If you see the current, you know exactly what it is that you're trying to do and exactly how strong your spell is going to be. Without that buffer, you're constantly reacting. A stray thought or a strong emotion at the wrong time and you could end up crafting a completely different spell or lashing out with more strength than intended. You could be startled by an ally in the heat of battle and lash out before you could see that you aren't attacking a foe because your power  _can_  activate faster than thought. While the other way may seems more difficult or a tiny bit slower... It's better because it's steady, it's predictable. There's more control involved." Chloe sighed and looked down to her hands.

"I don't have much choice in the matter Max." The words made the witch's face fall. Her blue eyes seemed to convey how much that statement saddened her.

"I didn't mean it that way Chloe. You know I didn't. It's not your fault. I'm just trying to figure this out  _with_  you." Silence fell upon the duo and Chloe began struggling to find something that could alleviate or distract from the heavy mood that had set in.

"Could you show me how you were able to block me from reaching my power?" Max shook her head once more.

"A spell like that requires you to be able to grasp a strong understanding of a type of power. In this case, healing. You can't understand how to do it without seeing the flows. Like you said, you're well-rounded as far as magic goes but that does come as a cost. Anything remotely complex in a specific type of magic will be almost impossible for you to achieve."

"Are you sure?"

"Let's test it. Try it on me. I'm holding about as much magic as I can right now." Chloe's mouth dropped open and she immediately let go of the dark essence that swirled inside her, banishing it back to its corner in her mind.

"No! Absolutely not. You just finished saying that I'm a risk and that I could accidentally hurt someone…" Max looked straight into the hunter's black eyes.

"I trust you. We're in the middle of a clearing, no distractions. Just you and me. Concentrate on the task at hand and nothing else. Be very careful and everything should work out fine." Chloe struggled with herself and she backed a step. Max spoke up once more as she noticed the internal battle etched onto Chloe's face. "Chloe. We need to test your limits to understand what it is that we're dealing with. I trust you to do this."

Chloe breathed in shakily and scowled while looking around the clearing. She looked back to Max who was smiling back at her encouragingly. The hunter carefully took hold of the magic and let it consume her once more. The hunter looked straight at Max and poured all the intensity she could muster into the one job at hand, _blocking Max from her power_. She willed for it to happen with all her might. She felt nothing happening so she pushed more of the essence into what she was doing. On and on it went until she felt the dull throb in her head that signified she was holding as much magic as she could without harming herself. A last ditch effort of willpower and Chloe let go of her power. It was jarring how the shadows of the trees around her suddenly seemed to grow darker as her vision came back to normal. Well, as normal as it could be considering her now black irises.

"I couldn't do it." Max didn't seem surprised in the slightest at the admission.

"I was almost certain you couldn't but I wanted you to prove it to yourself. As powerful as it is, even with the Umbra ring you'll need to understand on some level what it is that you're doing. What you just attempted requires years of study and an expertise that isn't easily achievable." Chloe scoffed and grinned at the brunette.

"Now you're just bragging." Max burst out laughing. The crystalline sound echoed in the forest and Chloe smiled wider. The hunter was happy that she managed to bring back some much needed levity to the forefront. Chloe walked over to wrap an arm around Max's shoulders and nudge her forward back to the camp. The witch took a second to wipe her eyes and responded to the prodding by moving her feet slowly in step with Chloe's.

"I am pretty special…"

"That you are Max." Chloe laughed and squeezed the witch tighter into her side as they walked.


End file.
